Planning, Plating And Plate Lunches

Some food for thought in this season of public budgeting:

A few days ago  I posted the rationalization for Milwaukee County withholding its $800,000+ annual annual assessment from the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, (SEWRPC).

Note in a discussion of regional planning in the Madison Capital area, we learn that Dane County is currently blocking a similar assessment - - and I'd argue that the issues in the two disputes have overlap  - - and thereby is willing to use the receipt of taxpayer dollars logically and fairly as a lever to meet land preservation and other public policy goals.

Where is the gumption in Milwaukee County government to ask SEWRPC, at a minimum, for an annual work plan in exchange for a large grant of taxpayer dollars?

I'll bet there are many agencies that would like to receive a no-questions-asked annual grant of more  than $80,000, let alone more than $800,000.

And let's not think that in an era of billion-dollar budgets that  $800,000 isn't real money.

For example, unless I misread pages 7900 7-8 in the 2012 proposed Milwaukee County budget for the Department of Aging, the County will spend about $600,000 on meals for seniors - -  a service being cut for several reasons, including the loss of a state contribution.