County Executive Abele issues veto, blocks plan to continue pension overpayments

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele issued a veto Monday, February 16th that asks the County Board to stop their plan to continue overpaying a small group of retirees and employees $10 million.County Executive Abele believes that money would be better spent on improving the important services Milwaukee County provides including mental health care, programs for seniors and veterans, bus routes that get people to work and public safety.The overpayments are part of a decades old pension benefit that allowed people to buy back extra pension credit to increase the amount of money they receive after they retire.

Raise a glass: Second Traveling Beer Garden Tour added for 2015

MILWAUKEE COUNTY (WITI) -- Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced on Tuesday, January 27th that a second Traveling Beer Garden Tour will be added in summer 2015.The additional Beer Garden truck means that two parks will have stops each week of the eight-week tour (full schedule below).

What's next for Hamilton family in wake of no-charging decision?

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Those who support Dontre Hamilton are denouncing Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm's decision NOT to criminally charge former Milwaukee Police Office Christopher Manney in connection with Hamilton's death, but now that the decision has been announced, some are focused on the future.The distress call made by Christopher Manney on April 30th after he shot and killed 31-year-old Dontre Hamilton in downtown Milwaukee's Red Arrow Park and dash cam video from the scene are evidence of a tragedy that cannot be erased."Officer-involved.

County Board votes to override a number of County Executive Chris Abele's 26 budget vetoes

MILWAUKEE COUNTY (WITI) -- The Milwaukee County Board on Wednesday, November 19th voted to override a number of Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele's 26 vetoes to the 2015 county budget.County Executive Abele had hoped the Board would sustain the majority of his vetoes saying: "If the supervisors sustain my vetoes, the 2015 Adopted Budget will put Milwaukee County in a stronger and more sustainable position next year and in future years," as he announced his vetoes on Tuesday, November 18th."Supervisors put in 59 amendments and we left a lot of things in," County Executive Abele said.Abele says his vetoes helped to lower taxes to $2.2 million, increase services and lower the County's debt.Some Milwaukee County supervisors argued too much was at stake.

"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.