This Just In ...

What Franklin's Steve Taylor didn't discuss in his latest e-newsletter

Posted by Kevin Fischer on Jan. 25, 2013

Every month I’m happy to blog Franklin Alderman/Milwaukee County Supervisor Steve Taylor’s e-newsletter and I appreciate that he and his office makes that information available. In Taylor’s latest effort, he neglects to write about the hottest issue pertaining to the Milwaukee County Board: a much-talked about bill that, if approved by the state Legislature would ask Milwaukee County voters in a binding referendum if the board should become part-time and if their pay should be cut dramatically.

Steve Taylor hasn’t written about the planned referendum on his e-newsletter or on his blog. He has, however, talked about the referendum to The Daily Reporter, a trade paper based in Milwaukee. An article published last week is not available on-line, but it is where I found it, a local library.

Supervisor Pat Jursik is the primary source for the story. Jursik chairs the board’s economic development committee. Taylor is a committee member. Their spin, I reckon, will not help their cause.

The Daily Reporter writes it’s feared that reducing the size of the board “would increase the waiting period for developers seeking project approvals” and that Jursik “suspects reduced hours could lead to delays in approvals because supervisors need time to research proposals before voting.”

Yeh, right. The board really worked feverishly on research to avoid a pension scandal.

County Executive Chris Abele, I believe correctly, emphasizes not all research is necessary and the board could simply cut down on unnecessary work, fitting their responsibilities into a part-time schedule.

How does Steve Taylor weigh in? The paper states, “Taylor said he wasn’t well-versed on what the potential effects of the change would be,” but board reductions would have supervisors having to find other jobs that would allow time for county responsibilities.

“That possibly, he (Taylor) said might pose a hurdle for development,” wrote the paper.

“I would think it probably would, But I can’t predict the future," said Taylor.

Following his discussion with The Daily Reporter, Taylor headed to Madison to meet with state Representative Joe Sanfelippo who’s the main supporter of the referendum. Was Taylor there just to chit-chat for background? Or was he lobbying against the referendum legislation? Remember, Taylor actively backed the idea of making the mayor of Franklin a full-time position.

If Taylor is opposed to the referendum, he’d be out of touch with the voters of Franklin.

On April 3, 2012, Franklin voters went to the polls to decide referenda concerning support for, or opposition to, reduction in the size and compensation of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Here are the questions and the Franklin results.

Question 1: Do you support compensating the position of Milwaukee County Supervisor at a level that reflects the position being considered part-time in nature?

Yes: 5,542
No: 1,089

Question 2: Shall the size of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors be reduced from the current number of eighteen (18) supervisors to nine (9) supervisors?

Yes: 5,830
No: 856


UPDATE: Did Taylor and others get to Sanfelippo?