Milwaukee Post
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/996995
June 22, 2018 • Milwaukee County Post • 9 Funding suffering extends to county parks while mandates roll down from the state To the editor: Thank you for continuing to cover and report on the proceedings of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Council (ICC). Your June 15 article reported on the dire financial conditions of many cities because of the continuing loss of shared revenue from the state and the stingy fund- ing formula that state leaders dictate. I do believe that cities will need to look at con- solidated services increasingly, but many of these cities have been slow to embrace this idea. One historical area of consolidation did happen in our park system. Most parks were once owned by separate municipali- ties but were consolidated into a unified county park system mid-20th century that would have one workforce and countywide equipment and tools. Unfortunately, the county is now also experiencing the same strangulation the ICC complains about even though this region now sends more money to the state than it receives back. To further burden local government, the state mandates serv- ices, but is not paying for the state man- dates with sufficient shared revenue. Because counties are an arm of state gov- ernment, the locally elected executive and supervisors are required to take money for nonmandated services such as paying for parks and instead shore up the mandated services not properly funded. This inequity is causing a severe downward spi- ral for care of parks. Every year, all units of government endure the same inflation and increased health care costs for employees that the economy endures. Yet these units have no ability to address these increases. The Parks Department has experienced severe loss of employees as a result, having gone from over 700 just 10 years ago to about 200 now. Obviously, the work of 700 can not be done by 200. As a result, simple mainte- nance in the parks is unaddressed. The state forced Milwaukee County to finance a new arena with $4 million per year of property tax dollars. The strip min- ing of public resources to build a new arena in Milwaukee and Foxconn in Racine is impacting all budgets. It is hard to trust state politicians who claim there is no money for local services when they find a means to finance new projects, for pri- vate franchise arrangements. Use public funds for public needs. Our Oak Leaf Trial is the most used sporting facility in the county and it is suffering. Patricia Jursik Retired county supervisor, District 8 Board member, Preserve Our Parks, Cudahy OPINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR By OWEN B. ROBINSON Since President Donald Trump was elect- ed Democrats and their liberal allies have been predicting that Democrats would win a sweeping victory at the polls this November. Dubbed the "blue wave," the Democrats have history on their side. The opposition party to the president traditionally wins big electoral gains in the midterm election fol- lowing the president's inauguration. While Democrats are still likely to win more elections than they lose this year, the threat of a blue wave appears to be dimin- ishing. Trump's rising approval rating, the booming economy, the prospect of peace in North Korea and a host of other factors are sucking some of the strength out of the wave. The reason there might be a blue wave, or perhaps a blue ripple, is not because mil- lions of heretofore Republicans have sud- denly become Democrats. It is because Democrats are more energized to vote as they focus their hate around the figure of President Trump. Hate is a powerful emo- tion that drives a lot of people to the polls. But as we saw in Wisconsin when the Democrats fixed their hate on Gov. Scott Walker, it is not always enough to win elec- tions. There were two special elections last week in Wisconsin districts previously held by Republicans. A Republican won one and a Democrat one. Given that both districts are considered Republican- leaning, the results lean toward the Democrats, but it belies the notion that there is a gigantic blue wave that will sweep Democrats into power over all opposi- tion. These special elec- tions indicate that candi- dates still matter. Hard campaigning still matters. Local issues still matter. Walker is running for his third term and is rightly running on his record. Most Wisconsin Republican incumbents are doing the same. Republicans are right to run on their record because it is a powerful record of success. Wisconsin is far better off than it was before Walker assumed office and Republicans won control of the Legislature. Taxes are down. The state budget runs a surplus instead of a deficit. Unemployment is at an all-time low. Job participation and incomes are rising. And the Republicans have enacted dozens of important reforms from concealed carry to Act 10. It is a marvelous record, but it is not enough to get Republicans energized and flocking to the polls like they did in 2012 and 2014. What is sorely missing from the Wisconsin Republicans' message is a vision for the future. While it may not be fair, poli- tics is not about what you have done. It is about what you are going to do next. If you go to Walker's campaign website, it has some great details about his historic conservative record, but is scant in detail about what he wants to do in his third term. The Assembly Republicans' site touts their "Forward Agenda" from 2016. A tour of the sites for incumbent Republican candidates offers much of the same. If Wisconsin Republicans want to get their base excited and energized to counter the Democrats' enthusiasm, they need to present a bold vision of what voters can expect if they return Walker for another term and Republican majorities to the Legislature. For example, here are some things that I, as a conservative member of the Republican base, could get excited about: ■ Cut spending. Don't just bend the curve down or cut the rate of spending increases. Republicans should actually pass a budget next year that will spend less than the cur- rent budget. It is a corollary to Parkinson's Law that government spending will always fill the budget allocated. That is part of what drives increasing budgets. Republicans should aggressively cut the budget to reflect what Wisconsinites can afford instead of what bureaucrats want to spend. ■ Once spending is cut, Wisconsin Republicans should end the income tax. It may sound insurmountable, but it isn't. Nine states manage to function without a tax on regular income. Wisconsin Republicans have certainly shown them- selves to be capable enough to enact com- prehensive reforms and this one would be welcomed by anyone with an income in the state — including many of our seniors on fixed incomes who find themselves fleeing the state to afford their retirement. ■ Republicans should reform Wisconsin's welfare system. In an age of full employ- ment, there is no excuse whatsoever for every able-bodied person who wants to work to get a job. And if they do not want to work, the taxpayers should not be forced to pay their bills. Wisconsin Republicans have made some reforms in this area, but there is a long way to go. There are many more great conservative reforms waiting to be enacted. If Wisconsin Republicans want to stay in power come November, they will need to articulate for Wisconsin's voters what they intend to do with that power. Now is not the time to cele- brate the past. It is time for Republicans to announce the future. (Owen B. Robinson is a West Bend resident whose column appears occasionally in The Milwaukee County Post. He can be reached at owen@bootsandsabers.com.) Republicans need vision to break blue wave Robinson Send your letters to: The Milwaukee Post, c/o Dan Muckelbauer, 3397 S. Howell Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207, or by email to: dmuck@conleynet.com. We reserve the right to edit letters for style, length and clarity. Letters should be typewritten or printed and include full name, phone number and address. Please keep your letters to no more than 400 words. Letters policy