County Executive Scott Walker proposed a budget Thursday that aims to freeze the property tax levy at the cost of other spending to the county board of supervisors.

Walker's budget would freeze the tax levy for the fourth straight year. The budget also includes a 25 percent staff cut for the county's court system and a 23 percent increase in rider fares for the Milwaukee County Transit System.

The budgets for the parks system and health care would be fully funded in his proposal.

"My budget is based on a few key priorities: freezing the property tax levy — and I mean really freezing it — providing safety net services for those most in need, and contributing to the overall quality of life for our county and our region," Walker said.

Walker said he believes holding down taxes is the cornerstone to economic growth in the county.

"It's the kick-start to the growth essential to keep and bring back residents and employers," he said.

Walker highlighted the difficulties he said his administration inherited from the previous county executive, Thomas Ament, and the removal of some state support.

Walker said that two-thirds of the county's $58.9 million budget deficit came from the benefits of Ament's administration.

"This is the legacy of Ament's unconscionable and criminal raid on current and future taxpayers," Walker said.

Walker went on to say that the governor's administration had abandoned local government and taxpayers.

"Counties, cities, towns and villages all across the state are being asked to fund more of the state's operations, from courts to human services, because of this governor's disinterest in Wisconsin's local governments," Walker said.

Walker urged the county board not to take what he termed "the easy route" of the governor's proposed budget veto, which would allow them to increase his budget by $8 million. Rather, Walker said the board should continue to work together to operate county government efficiently and put people ahead of special interests.

"Let's not confuse bickering for a real dialogue on this budget," Walker said. "We must set aside political differences to ensure we get things done in this county."

Several people at the meeting were holding signs to protest the proposed bus fare increase.

"It's a tax on the poor," said Jerry Papa, 52, a Milwaukee resident and a driver for Milwaukee County Transit System. "He has destroyed the MCTS as we know it."

After Walker's speech, Brandon Jensen, legislative director of the Amalgamated Transit Union, said the fare increase would bring in an estimated $4.4 million for the transit system, but Walker is removing $3 million from the budget.

"As far as the budget goes, he didn't mention transit at all," Jensen said. "He's made it clear that it's not a priority for him."

In a private interview with the Tribune after his presentation, Walker said putting together this year's budget was a matter of deciding how hard and aggressively to push.

"We were able to freeze the tax levy without cutting care programs," Walker said.

He said he viewed the General Assistance Medical Program funding as one of the budget's successes. The program provides health care to the uninsured. The medical program also helps drive down health care costs by keeping people out of the emergency room, Walker said.

It was a difficult choice to target reductions, Walker said. He said the courts were a challenge.

"The odds are stacked a little against us," he said.

In contrast to other governments, "by being fairly bold with our initiatives we were able to really freeze property taxes," Walker said.

The next step for the budget comes Friday at 9 a.m. when the County Board Finance and Audit Committee will begin budget hearings.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on October 4, 2005.