MILWAUKEE COUNTY — The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors spent several hours going through proposed amendments to the county executive’s recommended budget.
For nearly five hours, members weighed Milwaukee county's finances.
Supervisor Ryan Clancy of District 4 proposed several amendments to divert money from the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office to community services.
"What these amendments do is to honor the community’s wish to ask the sheriff’s office to do only their job and not take on additional discretionary duties which take funds away from other departments during a pandemic," Clancy said.
But multiple supervisors pushed back.
Some agreed the sheriff’s office needs to come down on spending, but added that overtime pay should be included in the budget and pointed to Milwaukee’s violent crime rate is part of the reason why.
“I've gotten more calls and complaints from my constituents, my district, about wanting to see more sheriff’s [deputies] in the parks, wanting more of a presence in the parks. Overdoses are up. Homicides are up," said Supervisor Sylvia Ortiz-Velez of District 12.
Some supervisors commended Clancy for his intent but disagreed on the method. That opposition resulted in Clancy’s proposals failing.
Meanwhile, one item added $125,000 to the sheriff’s office budget for patrolling the interstate.
In the end, supervisors voted 14 to 4 to adopt the amended budget.
It now heads back to the county executive’s office.
