Walker’s layoff plan causes outcry from supervisors
MCT REGIONAL NEWS
By Steve Schultze
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
(MCT)
Oct. 29--Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s plan to temporarily lay off up to 180 employees as a last-ditch move to balance this year’s budget prompted finger pointing, accusations and shouting Thursday from county supervisors.
Their anger was directed at Walker, who wasn’t present, and his top aides who appeared before the County Board’s Finance and Audit Committee.
Layoff notices are expected to be sent out Friday.
Supervisors accused Walker of mismanagement and his department heads of hiding what appears to be one of the major causes of the county’s 2009 deficit -- a change in the formula used by the state to reimburse the county for low-income patients’ care.
“We’re supposed to be in this together,” said Supervisor Elizabeth M. Coggs, who complained that supervisors have been routinely shut out of critical information by Walker’s department heads. “The only time we are in this together is when the crap hits the fan.”
“That whole veil of 'don’t talk to county supervisors' has got to come off,” she said.
County Board Chairman Lee Holloway told Walker’s top aides that they should “pray that Scott Walker doesn’t win” his Republican bid for governor.
Holloway said if that happened, “Most of you will be under my supervision and most of you will be fired.”
If Walker left in mid-term, Holloway as county board chairman would become acting county executive.
John Chianelli, administrator of the county’s Behavioral Health Division, said he realized early this year that the state had changed the way it paid for Medicaid claims for children and patients 65 and older. At first, he thought the changes would balance out and result in no net financial cut.
But by August he found that that the state was paying far less for older patients’ stays at the Mental Health Complex than anticipated, Chianelli said. That led to what’s now forecast as a $3.6 million deficit in the county’s Behavioral Health Division at year’s end.
The overall county year-end deficit is now pegged at $3 million.
Chianelli said he didn’t have a good handle on the deficit problem in his division until reviewing reimbursement claims from the state last month.
Thomas Nardelli, Walker’s chief of staff, said he had never told department heads not to speak to supervisors.
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To see more of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.jsonline.com.
(c) 2009, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Oct 30, 2009 at 1:35 a.m.
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Dangerous is expecting local tax payers to fund programs originally budgeted from state funding. If the state changed funding for Medicaid claims, who signed it, who voted for it, and who is sitting back watching others try to pay for it? Lee Holloway and the other county supervisors of Milwaukee are more interested in a partisan finger pointing match than they are in solving the issue or finding the cause. Don’t forget these same county Supervisors voted on the budget as well.
Oct 29, 2009 at 5:43 p.m.
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I'm torn on this. I hate to see anyone get laid off, but I rarely see an example of when our state isn't bloated with state workers. It seems like too many people not doing enough work for too much money and benefits. Granted, that isn't always the case, but more often than not it is. Everyone is being affected by layoffs and cut backs. I'm not sure state or federal workers should be exempt from payroll reductions. The key is ensuring that state services remain functional. It's a tough balance keeping the right levels and not a job I would want.
Oct 29, 2009 at 5:01 p.m.
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Actually Walker is trying to do what should have been done a long time ago. Milwaukee County is a cesspool (sp?) and nothing more than an employment agency. Our state would probably benefit from somebody stepping in an providing a wake-up call to our state government.
I lurk here often and listen to people complain about Doyle. Doyle is an illness that has spread over our state and you are now beginning to see its real effects due to ridiculous taxation. Walker will be the cure.
Oct 29, 2009 at 4:08 p.m.
Oct 29, 2009 at 3:21 p.m.
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And people want this turd to be Governor?
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