Milwaukee Common Council adopts 2019 budget, average homeowner would pay $52 more

Updated: 5:07 p.m. November 13, 2018

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Common Council adopted an amended 2019 City of Milwaukee budget in the amount of about $1.54 billion on Tuesday.

The new budget plan adds new positions to tackle health-related issues facing the city including an "Inspector General" position to act as a watchdog for city agencies including the Health Department. The budget plan also adds four Community Outreach Liasons and a Health Project Coordinator. A special purpose account of $425,000 would also be created to address elevated blood level follow-up and lead hazard remediation, family and community health visits and communicable disease prevention. 

The budget plan also creates four neighborhood COP houses in areas of high crime. Those centers will be operated in partnership with the Milwaukee Police Department and Milwaukee Promise Zones organizations.

The budget would add $1 million to the Local Street Reconstruction Program to address areas plagued with potholes and pavement issues.

Other budget amendments include a $200,000 seed fund to encourage entrepreneurialism in providing healthy food options in food deserts; $25,000 to expand Big Clean MKE from its inaugural four aldermanic district clean-up to a city-wide initiative; and directing city agencies to collaborate with community groups for better monitoring, security and maintenance of city-owned vacant homes.

The average homeowner will pay $52 more compared to 2018’s budget. The levy total will be $280,995,907 which was a 3.4% increase from the year before.

The budget will now head to Mayor Tom Barrett who will have until the close of business on November 26 to sign the budget.

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Posted: 1:46 p.m. November 13, 2018

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – The Milwaukee Common Council is meeting Tuesday to discuss the 2019 budget.

City leaders were voting on approved amendments and 24-hour amendments for the $1.5 billion budget.

The meeting lasted throughout the morning and was expected to continue into the afternoon.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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