"He has manipulated his own budget:" Sheriff Clarke unhappy with Abele's budget plan

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A day after Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele presented his proposed 2015 budget to the County Board, one office already knows -- it is not happy with the numbers.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke not only takes issue with the money allotted to his office, he claims Abele is manipulating budget numbers.

"Chris Abele's 2015 budget proposal for public safety is not a budget. It is retribution," Sheriff Clarke said.

Sheriff Clarke is accusing the County Executive of changing the numbers in his budget document. Sheriff Clarke claims the reason behind this is because Clarke won the primary election for sheriff.

"He has manipulated his own budget document that shows the 2014 tax levy line for the Sheriff's budget at $66.7 million, and he changed it to read $63.8 million on his 2015 spreadsheet," Sheriff Clarke said.

While Abele doesn't dispute the numbers, he does dispute the fact that it's a result of some kind of retribution.

"The footnote on the bottom of the chart he showed you says 'this budget reflects the fact that we're transferring out, similarly, 911 emergency dispatch,'" Abele said.

Abele says that means those expenses have been moved, because they will no longer be the Sheriff's responsibility.

"So he's getting $3.9 million more in tax levy, despite having to do less," Abele said.

Sheriff Clarke doesn't see it that way. He says the lack of money being given to his office is leading to more overtime for an already small staff, and that will lead to dangerous situations.

"We are now at a point where courtrooms and freeways will not have adequate coverage, domestic violence injunction orders will be delayed in being served. That doesn't matter to Chris Abele, however," Sheriff Clarke said.

"I gave him an increase of about $4 million and again, I'm sorry it's not the $30 million more you wanted -- but we didn't get $30 million more from the state," Abele said.

One thing both Sheriff Clarke and Abele agreed on: accountability. Sheriff Clarke invited the public to call Abele's office with questions and concerns. Abele says he welcomes the calls.

CLICK HERE if you'd like to read through Abele's entire 2015 budget proposal.