Here & Now

Milwaukee Co. Executive On Proposed Budget, Public Schools

ZAC SCHULTZ:

MEANWHILE, IT’S BUDGET TIME FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND MILWAUKEE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CHRIS ABELE RELEASED HIS BUDGET PROPOSAL THIS WEEK AND JOINS US NOW FROM MILWAUKEE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

CHRIS ABELE:

GREAT TO BE HERE, ZAC.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR MILWAUKEE COUNTY NEXT YEAR INCLUDES NO TAX INCREASES. YOU’RE NOT THE FIRST POLITICIAN TO HAVE A ZERO TAX INCREASE BUDGET RIGHT BEFORE AN ELECTION YEAR. WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT?

CHRIS ABELE:

WELL, IT’S ACTUALLY MY FIFTH BUDGET IN A ROW WHERE MY PROPOSED BUDGET HAS INCLUDED NO TAX INCREASE. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT BECAUSE FOR ME, I’VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE THE POINT FOR SOME TIME THAT WE DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE TO MAKE THE CHOICE BETWEEN — OR CERTAINLY NOT ALWAYS BETWEEN — RAISING TAXES OR CUTTING SERVICES. BECAUSE AS THIS BUDGET SHOWS, YOU KNOW, WE’VE GOT SERVICE LEVEL INCREASES ALMOST ACROSS THE BOARD. THE BIGGEST RAISE WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE FOR EMPLOYEES IN A LONG TIME. WE CREATED NEW TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM. WE’RE ACTUALLY ADDING MILES, ROUTE MILES, TO OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM. AND SO –AND WE’RE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF OUR SCHEDULE ON PROJECT “END CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.” SO COMBINED WITH THE FACT THAT IT ALSO DOESN’T INCREASE TAXES, I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT IT.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

THAT BUDGET SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL BE GOOD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. LOOKING AHEAD TO THE ELECTION NEXT SPRING, THERE ARE RUMORS THAT DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR CHRIS LARSON IS ENTERTAINING A RUN. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

CHRIS ABELE:

I THINK ANY TIME PEOPLE RUN FOR OFFICE, IT’S A GOOD THING. I ALWAYS HOPE THAT WHEN I’M UP, IT IS AN ELECTION, IF ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOOD PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ISSUES. YOU KNOW, IF HE RUNS OR ANYONE ELSE RUNS, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO DO, IDEAS FOR MOVING THE COUNTY FORWARD. I THINK IT ONLY HELPS.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

SPEAKING OF CAMPAIGNS WAY OFF IN THE FUTURE, YOU’VE ALSO BEEN MENTIONED AS A POTENTIAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR IN 2018. YOU SAID RECENTLY YOU’RE NOT RUNNING, BUT IS THAT AN “I’M DEFINITELY NOT RUNNING” OR “I’M NOT RUNNING AT THIS TIME?”

CHRIS ABELE:

I’M DEFINITELY NOT RUNNING. A HUNDRED PERCENT, NOT RUNNING. IN FACT, I KIND OF LIKE MAKING THE POINT JUST BECAUSE I THINK THERE’S SO MUCH EMPHASIS IN ELECTED POLITICS TO ALWAYS BE THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT STEP. AND, YOU KNOW, I LOVE WHERE I LIVE. NOTHING AGAINST MADISON, BUT I LOVE MILWAUKEE. THIS IS WHERE I’M STAYING. AND I RAN BECAUSE I WANTED TO DO WHAT I COULD TO HELP WITH THE COUNTY.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

ONE OF THE OTHER BIG DECISIONS YOU’VE GOT COMING UP IS YOUR ROLE IN THE OPPORTUNITY SCHOOLS AND PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH IS CREATED BY REPUBLICANS IN THE STATE BUDGET AND ALLOWS YOU TO CHOOSE SOMEONE TO TAKE OVER SOME OF THE LOWEST PERFORMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN MILWAUKEE. NOW WHERE ARE YOU IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING THAT NEW LEADER?

CHRIS ABELE:

SURE, WE’VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON THAT. I’VE ACTUALLY BEEN MEETING PRETTY REGULARLY WITH THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT OF MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS DAR PRETTY REGULARLY WITH THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT OF MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS DARIENNE DRIVER AND THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR, DR. MICHAEL BONDS. I SAID TO DALE KOOYENGA AND ALBERTA DARLING, WHO AUTHORED THIS BILL, THAT THIS ISN’T EXACTLY THE APPROACH I WOULD TAKE. I CERTAINLY CARE ABOUT IMPROVING MPS, BUT GIVEN THAT IT’S THE LAW, I SAID I’M GOING TO WORK WITH MPS. I WANT A COMMISSIONER THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. I WANT SOMEONE WHERE THERE’S A PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP. I THINK THE WORST OUTCOME WOULD BE THE EXTENSION OF A LONG-RUNNING FIGHT BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, CHARTER VOUCHER DISTRICT. I DON’T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT’S GOING TO HURT MPS. I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO. AND WE HAVE SOME IDEAS ALREADY TO HELP MPS. I WANT TO MAKE THE CHOICE OF A NEW COMMISSIONER AND EVERY DISCUSSION ABOUT SCHOOLS WITH MPS, BUT I DO THINK WE’LL BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

NOW ONE OF THE REASONS REPUBLICANS WANTED THIS PROGRAM IS IT REMOVES CONTROL OVER THIS NEW PROGRAM FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD AND PREVENTS ANY EMPLOYEES FROM BEING PART OF THE TEACHERS UNION. DO YOU AGREE THAT REFORM NEEDS TO HAPPEN OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL BOARD AND AWAY FROM THE TEACHERS’ UNION?

CHRIS ABELE:

ACTUALLY SOME OF THE THOUGHTS WE’VE HAD HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH THAT AND MORE TO DO WITH SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS. SO FOR INSTANCE, AT THE COUNTY, WE DO WRAP-AROUND SERVICES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, DELINQUENCY. WE ALREADY HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH MPS. SO A YEAR BEFORE EVEN TALKING ABOUT A SCHOOL, I’VE ALREADY GOT A LIST OF WHERE ARE ALL THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH MPS. WHERE CAN WE EXPAND THEM IN A WAY THAT WON’T COST ANYTHING TO MPS OR US BECAUSE WE CAN DRAW DOWN FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE’RE ELIGIBLE FOR AND THEY’RE NOT. I MEAN, THAT’S ALL THE GAIN, NOTHING TO LOSE. WE’VE ALSO LOOKED AT SHARED SERVICES. EVERYTHING FROM THE 22 PARKS THAT MPS OPERATES, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY, WE HAVE A BIG PARK SYSTEM. WE’RE GOOD AT IT. WE HAVE ECONOMIES OF SCALE. SO THEY COULD, FOR INSTANCE, PAY THE COUNTY TO MAINTAIN THEIR PARKS. IT WOULD COST THEM LESS. THEY’D GET BETTER SERVICE. IT’S A NET CASH POSITIVE FOR BOTH. AND ALL OF THAT MEANS MORE RESOURCES INTO THE CLASS ROOM. AND WHEN IT COMES TO NEW SCHOOLS, LIKE I SAID, I WANT TO MAKE ALL OF THOSE DECISIONS WITH MPS IN A WAY THAT IN NO WAY HURTS MPS. YOU KNOW, I WANT THIS TO BE A PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP. AND IN FACT, FOR INSTANCE, IF WE LOOKED AT A PRE-K SCHOOL THAT WAS A FEEDER TO AN MPS SCHOOL, NOBODY HAS TO WORRY ABOUT LOSING STUDENTS AND POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, IT’S A NET INCREASE IN STUDENTS TO MPS. BUT TO ME, THE BOTTOM LINE IS FOR ALL OF US, I THINK, SHOULD BE IMPROVING EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

ZAC SCHULTZ:

ALL RIGHT. WE WILL DEFINITELY BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PROGRAM. WE’RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS THERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

CHRIS ABELE:

YOU BET. GREAT TO BE HERE.