This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
BRAVO SHEBOYGAN COUNTY!
From the Sheboygan Press:
County budget down all around
Spending, levy, tax rate all less than '07
By Bob PetrieSheboygan Press staff
October 24, 2007
The proposed 2008 Sheboygan County budget, one that calls for a $549,190 drop in the county's portion of the property tax levy, was given Tuesday night to the full County Board.
The $137 million budget is 11.5 percent smaller than this year's budget, and the tax levy of $44.9 million is 1.2 percent lower than the $45.4 million used for this year's budget. The tax rate of $5.25 per $1,000 of equalized value is a drop of 6.9 percent. It is the first reduction in the county tax levy in 21 years.
"The County Board's poised to see a total expenditure reduction, a property tax levy reduction, a property tax rate reduction," County Administrator Adam Payne said.
The County Board will hold a public meeting and introduce the budget at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30, and supervisors will also do a line-by-line review, said Board Chairman Bill Goehring. The budget is scheduled for adoption Nov. 5.
Among the big reasons, according to Goehring, was the sale of the Sunny Ridge Health Care Center to a private operator and a $1.5 million drop in health-insurance costs for county employees over the past 18 months were the keys to the drop.
Most departments, Payne said, will receive a 3 percent increase.
"You can't argue with lowering the tax levy as long as you're not cutting critical programs and services," Payne said.
Health and Human Services will receive the largest share of the budget, at $54.2 million, followed by general government at $29.6 million. Public works will get $17.2 million and public safety $15.8 million. The county's debt service will drop nearly 11 percent, from $9.9 million to $7 million.
"This year has been one of the more enjoyable years to develop the budget, because we've been able to give departments sufficient funds to maintain most of their programs and services," Payne said.
I thought this was impossible.
Weren’t all the local elected officials, including SCHOOL BOARD members, all around the state crying the blues for months that the big, bad state of Wisconsin wouldn’t pass a budget?
And weren’t those officials crying that the big, bad state of Wisconsin wasn’t giving enough aid back to the local municipalities and school districts?
And weren’t they moaning and pouting and whining that because the big, bad state of Wisconsin was so stingy that they might actually have to find ways to pay for their own government and that the only alternative would be to raise taxes and not CUT ANYTHING?
Apparently Scott Walker, and now Sheboygan County have found an alternative and have the courage and wisdom. How about you, Franklin Alderman?
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