MILWAUKEE COUNTY, Wis. - Just a day after winning the race for governor, David Crowley's staff says there is a surprise multi-million dollar hole in the Milwaukee County budget.
They're blaming a computing error.
Error revealed in memo
What To Know:
The news of the $4.56 million dollar hole was announced in a memo to the Milwaukee County Board ahead of a vote on Thursday, Nov. 5, to approve the budget.
According to the memo, the error was discovered in an automated formula, in a process that was previously done manually.
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Milwaukee County proposed budget; tax levy increase, rate decrease
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley’s proposed 2027 budget proposes lowering the property tax rate while increasing the total tax levy.
What they're saying:
A spokesperson for David Crowley said the following:
"County Executive Crowley is aware of an error discovered in an automated formula used to calculate one aspect of the budget, a process previously done manually. Once identified, the Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance acted immediately to create a solution and correct the formula to prevent a recurrence. The County Executive is confident the issue is resolved and that Milwaukee County will end 2027 with a balanced budget."
When asked why the discovery of the error is just being released now, after the election, FOX6 was told it took time to discover what went wrong and come up with solutions to fill the gap.
FOX6 was also told the timing of the memo was dictated by the upcoming budget meeting, not the election.
Addressing the issue
What's next:
According to the memo, to address this issue, the Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance and the Office of the Comptroller have reviewed potential opportunities to offset the impact of the error. Possible offsets include:
- Potential for additional prescription drug rebates
- Utilizing cash balances remaining in capital projects scheduled to close in 2027
- Savings or surplus identified through ongoing monitoring of departmental operating budgets
The Source: FOX6 received information from the Public Affairs Director for the Milwaukee County Office of the County Executive.