Public Budget Hearing being held to address cuts to police and fire department positions
-
2:23
New sexual misconduct law used to prosecute former Kewaskum officer
-
2:27
Encampment continues at UW-Madison, protesters & campus leaders...
-
0:29
MPS board director resigns amid controversies
-
2:04
Former Milwaukee elections official convicted of election fraud...
-
1:33
Beep Baseball breaks barriers for blind and visually impaired...
-
1:13
’There’s no safe level of lead’: $83 million from the Biden...
-
2:03
Shorewood High School students walk out, join UW-Milwaukee encampment
-
1:59
Mitchell International Airport’s first TSA explosive detection...
-
2:53
VISIT Milwaukee preview: May 3-5
-
1:25
Zaffiro’s Pizza celebrates 70 years in Milwaukee
-
1:57
I.d. in Delafield named Wisconsin’s most beautiful restaurant...
-
4:10
’Escape from Peligro Island: A Create Your Own Adventure Play’...
Milwaukee is currently projecting a loss of 84 police officers and 75 firefighters under next years budget.
But, they say they are actively working to reduce both of those numbers. Residents are invited to the city municipal building to go over the situation during a public budget hearing.
Estimates show that the loss could reduce the fire department to meeting mandated response times 90% of the time. It's currently 98% in the city.
The city's budget director says there are a few causes for the shortfall such as pension figures for the year came in higher than expected and the city is receiving less money from state programs than it has in the past.
The city's police department alone now costs $60 million more than the city collects in taxes.
Mayor Tom Barrett says he's pushing for a half cent city sales tax to better fund public safety.
A local sales tax would need approval by the state just to go up for a vote. If that happened, it would still need to be passed by Milwaukee residents.