In his "Message from County Executive Walker" section, he is touting United Way.
In the first section, Walker (actually one of his aide's) writes:
When times are tough, the need is greatest. That is where we are with this year’s upcoming United Way Campaign – Live United. We are still struggling with the economy and many in our community are looking for help getting food, finding a job or health care. Help that United Way can provide if we all dig a little deeper to help our neighbors in the Milwaukee area.He admits that people need help getting food, finding work, and getting health care. So why is it that Walker was the one to willfully sabotage the Income Maintenance program to the point that the County faces a multimillion dollar lawsuit and he wants to cut ALL benefits to the homeless , elderly, disabled and all other vulnerable citizens of the county?
We all remember the recent fire at Patrick Cudahy. This incident created a crisis for the company and its employees. Hopefully, Patrick Cudahy comes back quickly. You may not know that, in the meantime, the United Way (among other agencies) stepped up. Patrick Cudahy has been long-time supporter of United Way and now is a receiver of United Way services.Walker's right. The fire was terrible. But does he think that United Way will be able to pick up the tab and supply all the emergency medical systems to citizens that wouldn't receive it if he gets his way to destroy the County's EMS system?
Add to this his ongoing flip-flopping about the stimulus, taxes, etc. etc. etc., it is amazing that anyone can support him, since no one knows where he stands on anything.
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Walker thinks charity is the only way to help people. That way, those that help get to feel superior, like patrons and benefactors, and society's responsibility to take care of its problems can be safely ignored. in other words, social problems are systemic, but since conservatives want to champion individual responsibility, their solution is very individualistic.
ReplyDelete"But does he think that United Way will be able to pick up the tab and supply all the emergency medical systems to citizens that wouldn't receive it if he gets his way to destroy the County's EMS system?"
ReplyDeleteChris, you are really good at drumming up rumors. Walker is not out to destroy the EMS system.
The current budget proposal, like many in the past, is a rough draft that includes mandatory items. It's highly unlikely that Walker will cut out Milwaukee County Fire Departments of $3 million dollars in shared revenue because the cities could always opt out of the shared revenue program and divert ALS revenue into the pockets of their own cities. This would hurt the County's budget more than it benefit them.
In conclusion, you need to wait until the Fall season before you jump the gun about Walker destroying anything. But then again, the only thing you seem interested in is scare tactics.
Aaron,
ReplyDeleteYou must have long term memory loss. This is not the first time that Walker has proposed cutting the EMS funding. And yes, it was Walker doing it in his proposed budget. It was the County Board that was adult enough to recognize the needs of the entire community and restore the funding.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteYou are correct that this is not the first time Walker didn't include the funding in his "rough draft" budget proposal. At the beginning of every budget proposal, Walker uses what we call "bargaining chips" for the county. This is how politics has been played a long time before he became County Executive.
Did you notice that the article you linked to (in order to prove that Walker was destroying EMS) said that it was too early to determine what would happen to the $3 million? So why are you using it as evidence that Walker was intent on destroying EMS?
I would be very surprised if Walker didn't give the local Fire Departments that $3 million. And if he decided to cut the funding, you can expect that I won't let that slide. I would be the first to call his campaign manager to give them a piece of my mind.
You are correct that this is not the first time Walker didn't include the funding in his "rough draft" budget proposal. At the beginning of every budget proposal, Walker uses what we call "bargaining chips" for the county. This is how politics has been played a long time before he became County Executive.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to see that you are finally admitting that Walker is playing politics with people's very lives. And no, you are mistaken, Walker has submitted his budget proposals without the funding. It was the County Board that returned the funding.
And the last seven years have shown that Walker would have done much worse damage if social advocates haven't held his feet tot he fire, year after year. You would think that by now, the fool would have caught on.
The less damage we allow Walker to cause now, improves the chances for a responsible budget later. That is, of course, presuming that Walker will actually do his job, this time, unlike he had done with the income maintenance program, house of correction, mental health services, etc.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteWhat you stated is the natural process of developing a budget. When Walker actually cuts the funding, then we'll talk. Until then, quit whining about something that's not likely to happen.
The simple fact is that Walker has ordered his department heads to come up with unreasonable cuts to their budgets, which will endanger safety and services to people.
ReplyDeleteDept. heads have been going in front of the Board's committee's saying that they've cut everything that is not mandated, and Walker wants more.