Milwaukee bankruptcy protection plan: FPC stripped of power
MILWAUKEE - A plan to help Milwaukee avoid bankruptcy is headed for the governor's desk after the Legislature passed it Wednesday, June 14, but it comes at a cost, especially for the city's Fire & Police Commission, which will change as we know it.
This body oversees both the Milwaukee Police and Fire Departments and is one of the strongest police oversight bodies in the nation.
The shared revenue plan strips the FPC of that power against the wishes of the mayor and the commission.
Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission
At its first meeting since a deal in Madison struck the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission of its power, FPC Chair Ed Fallone said the negotiations between lawmakers never included the very board caught in the crossfire.
The plan sending more money back to communities -- known as shared revenue -- also rewrites the FPC rules. First, the respective chiefs, not the FPC, will set policy for their departments. The FPC can propose policy changes, but the chiefs will have the final say.
"There's still some check and balance there, but again, my preference would have been that it was left the way that it was," said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
Mayor Johnson helped negotiate the deal, which enables the Common Council to suspend or modify policies with a two-thirds vote. It also requires the commission not to have more than four members belonging to the same political party and empowers the firefighters' and police officers' unions. They can each nominate a retired employee that still lives in the city to serve on the FPC.
Milwaukee Police Department
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"This is where I pushed back on the state again and said, 'I don't need you to step in and tell me to do this. We're already doing that in Milwaukee,'" said Mayor Johnson.
Despite the changes, the mayor says the FPC still plays an important role because it still handles the hiring process, including deciding who serves as chief.
Milwaukee Fire Department
The Legislature sent the bill to Governor Tony Evers for his signature. He helped negotiate it, and he's expected to sign it, and these changes would take effect after that.