Saturday, September 06, 2008

Barrett Proposes Increasing Cost of Living in Milwaukee

Speaking of Mayor Barrett:

Barrett will ask the council next week to approve an immediate $8 boost in the snow and ice fee, from $21 to $29 a year for the average homeowner, to help cover the budget-busting costs of last winter’s repeated major snowstorms and to position the city for whatever the coming winter brings, Nicolini said.

[...]

For 2009, the mayor wants to raise the solid-waste fee by 28%, or $37, from $132 to $169; the local sewer fee by $6, from $73 to $79; and the storm water charge by $2, from $32 to $34, all per year for the average homeowner.

If the proposed fee increases are added to the $20 wheel tax, the combined impact on a two-car household would be another $93 a year, plus any property tax increase that is approved in the 2009 budget.

[...]

But even with the fee increases, Barrett said, he will recommend a property tax increase more than this year’s 3.4% boost. The exact amount is still being calculated, along with debt service costs that would allow a tax increase beyond the state’s 2% levy cap, Nicolini said.

 

(5) Comments
Posted by Owen at 0902 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. I thought that it was only the evil Republicans whose policies
    and ideas made life difficult for the middle class and working poor?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 06, 2008 at 1022 hrs


  2. You guys always want some cuts right?  Despite the fee increases again this year Barrett is reducing staff (which I’m pretty sure the city has done every year for awhile now)

    “Also ahead are recommendations to trim ladder truck crews from five firefighters to four in the last nine fire companies that haven’t been cut already; to close a fire company; and to lay off workers in the library and the Public Works, City Development and Health departments, Barrett and Nicolini said. “

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 06, 2008 at 1115 hrs


  3. Anything to make sure that existing government bureaucrats keep getting high salaries, top-of-the-line benefit packages…and, of course, lucrative pension plans!! If the already-high property taxes just aren’t enough to cover things like garbage removal and snow plowing, where’s all the money going??

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 06, 2008 at 1242 hrs


  4. Barrett just can figure it out.  No matter how high he raises taxes and how often he raises fees, the City economy remains ‘sluggish.’

    Barrett’s complaint also refers to stagnant state aid.  But the Governor can’t figure it out, either.  No matter how high the state taxes are, or often they are raised, the state still can’t generate enough revenue from the state economy to pass along the surplus to the cities.

    So that of course is why both Doyle and Barrett are supporting Obama for President.  Because BHO has already promised to keep raising taxes higher and creating new taxes and fees until the economy perks up enough to allow him to send money to the states that voted for him.

    Beatings will continue until morale improves…

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 06, 2008 at 1301 hrs


  5. The straw that Barrett has in your checking account is getting bigger and they are attaching a larger pump to suck out even more money.

    Detroit 2….

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 06, 2008 at 2206 hrs


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