Joe Sanfelippo: Clueless and Classless

County Supervisor Joe Sanfelippo really needs to start begin catching up to reality.

First he issues a press release echoing Scott Walker's bigotry by stating that he too puts money before equality:

“At a time when the County is wrestling to close an $80 million dollar budget shortfall, which is projected to grow to $153 million within five years, and if these shortfalls are not offset by permanent cost saving measures, I find it incredibly irresponsible to propose new spending that could increase our operating expenses by nearly $4 million per year.

“Without the large scale wage and benefit concessions proposed in the County Executive’s 2010 Budget, the Board is faced with massive tax increases, large scale programmatic cuts, employee layoffs, or a mix of all three to balance the budget. Less than two weeks ago, the County Board passed a resolution mandating that most County employees take four unpaid furlough days between now and the end of the year. At that same meeting, we also voted to reject a labor contract with one of our largest unions because we cannot afford to continue to pay wages and benefits at the same levels we have in the past. These actions, combined with this vote from the Personnel Committee, send confusing messages to our employees. We’re telling them that we cannot afford to pay their wages and benefits, yet we are willing to spend $4 million a year providing health care to people who do not work for the County.

“At a time when both County workers and taxpayers are experiencing financial hardships, we should be concentrating our efforts on ways to reduce operating costs rather than looking for new ways to spend money that we do not have. That’s why I will vote against this resolution when it comes before the full Board on November 5th.”

Just like Walker, he wants to correct the errors of Walker's mismanagement on the backs of the citizens and workers of Milwaukee County.

Sanfelippo then continues lying to his constituents when he announces that he is going to hold three listening sessions, because:

“I always enjoy the opportunity to hear from my neighbors in the 17th District. Citizen participation is even more important this year, as the County faces an extremely difficult budget process for 2010,” Supervisor Sanfelippo said. “All residents are invited to stop by these town hall meetings for an open and honest discussion about the issues facing Milwaukee County government.”

The biggest problem with this is that all three town hall meetings are after the Board has gone through the votes on the amendments to the budget and sends it off for Walker to veto. If he was really interested in hearing what his constituents wanted, he would hold the sessions before he votes.

But then again, if he put his constituents first, he wouldn't be a Walker supporter.