Wisconsin GOP shared revenue funding plan comes with strings
MADISON, Wis. - A new plan from Wisconsin Republicans will send more of your money back to your community, but it comes with strings attached for Milwaukee.
Wisconsin Republicans released their shared revenue proposal Tuesday, May 2.
The plan increases the state's shared revenue spending by $226 million, and it allows the city and Milwaukee County to ask voters for a sales tax increase to pay for their pension problems, but like any negotiation, it comes with give and take for the state's largest city.
Wisconsin shared revenue
To fix a formula frozen for nearly 20 years, Wisconsin Republicans put their plan to paper, 133 pages worth, detailing how the state will send money to every city, village, town and county that can only be spent on certain things.
"Every single person who's watching: Your local government will get more to invest in police, fire, EMS, roads," said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.
The minimum increase is 10%. That's exactly what the city of Milwaukee would receive, which would add $22 million to the city budget. The bill would also allow the city and county to impose a sales tax of up to 2% in the city and less than four-tenths of a percent in the county to address the pension problem.
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"The proposal would require that it go to a public referendum, where people can vote yes or no, and it would require voter approval," said Ross Milton, UW professor.
Wisconsin shared revenue
The bill also includes a handful of provisions for Milwaukee. It requires Milwaukee Public Schools to hire 25 school resource officers. The city must maintain current police and fire staffing levels. The police and fire chiefs would regain authority over their respective departments from the Fire and Police Commission, and the city can't use any money from levying taxes for The Hop streetcar, just to name a few, prompting this response from State Senator LaTonya Johnson.
"Anything that's proposed for the city of Milwaukee will be like holding a loaded gun to our head," said Johnson. "We are not going to have many choices in terms of compromise."
FOX6 asked the mayor, county executive, FPC and more for comment. Each one declined or did not respond.