Monday, June 24, 2013

Anti-Milwaukee GOP Officials Enable Gun Criminals

Hard to believe, but Gov. Walker and GOP budget-writers chose not to include a mere $445,000 in a $68 billion state budget to fund an electronic gunshot tracing system for the City of Milwaukee.

Sticking it to the city couldn't get more grotesque.

The details, as reported by the Journal Sentinel:
ShotSpotter: The Legislature's Joint Finance Committee rejected an attempt to restore $445,400 from a community policing grant for the Police Department's ShotSpotter program. Walker had not included the money in his budget. 
The technology, in use in high-crime areas in the city, uses sensors to detect gunshots. 
"This is a very effective law enforcement tool," Barrett said. "They still took the money out."
And please do not call this "pork." It would have funded, at a modest level, a crime-fighting tool to help get guns and criminals off the streets. Pretty much Public Safety 101.

If you want to talk about pork, look at the $5 million budget amendment - - that's twelve times the amount of the ShotSpotter grant - - somehow miraculously approved for the hometown of a Joint Finance Committee co-chairman to assist a business development center.

I'm sure every district has some kind of similar operation.


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12 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 24, 2013 at 10:43 AM

    Why shouldn't the city pay for it itself?

    Seems silly to have a family in Superior, Wausau or Eau Claire continually foot the bill for Milwaukee's violence problems, doesn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. James RowenJune 24, 2013 at 10:45 AM

    For the same reasons Milwaukeeans pay into funds for those cities schools, colleges, bus systems or road and bridge projects. We are all one state, travel to each others' cities and benefit from mutual success.

    ReplyDelete
  3. zombie rotten mcdonaldJune 24, 2013 at 10:50 AM

    Do you not see the part of the article that says "Community Policing Grant"?

    Typically, block grants are allocated to allow the community to decide the best allocation of the funds. You know, LOCAL CONTROL.

    You know what seems silly? Continually complaining that part of some tax revenue goes toward something you personally oppose. If that family in Superior really doesn't like having Milwaukee share in the programs funded by the State Budget, they are free to move to Texas or some no-tax hellhole.

    OR, when all those other communities across the state voluntarily refuse any state tax expenditures on their behalf, then you can whine about Milwaukee.

    Really, the dog-whistle hatred for Milwaukee isn't really fooling anyone. we know what you are, and why you insist on remaining anonymous.

    ReplyDelete
  4. zombie rotten mcdonaldJune 24, 2013 at 10:51 AM

    Ooof. JR bigfooted my long-winded comment and said it better. Well played, sir.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJune 24, 2013 at 11:15 AM

    Isn't it silly for people in one block to pay for police to patrol the next block over?

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJune 24, 2013 at 11:30 AM

    Milwaukee is a money pit that just keeps sucking limited resources from others around the state.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJune 24, 2013 at 12:51 PM

    @11:30 - Money Pit ?


    We have the most people of any town in WI amd with the most crime due to many factors. Listen buddy - if Milwaukee goes down - so do your towns. We sent plenty of money to your towns for your massive strip mall road expansions.

    ReplyDelete
  8. zombie rotten mcdonaldJune 24, 2013 at 1:20 PM

    So that first anonymous is in favor of starving proven, and inexpensive, anti-violence programs just because it is in Milwaukee. Because some miniscule number of pennies in his tax bill might go to pay for it.

    So, why don't you just come out and say you hope people in Milwaukee die? What is WRONG with you?

    Again, I see why you prefer to remain anonymous.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJune 24, 2013 at 2:08 PM

    So a $5 million dollar gift to someone to someone to build a glorified office park for himself is okay, but Milwaukee is the money sink?

    Come on, Anon. Just say it. They're black. We know what this is about.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousJune 24, 2013 at 4:04 PM

    Very sad that Milwaukee isn't viewed as an economic plus by those outside of it. Tourism in Milwaukee County generated $2.898 billion of the $16.8 billion total in 2012. Here are the top tourism counties:

    Tourism-related spending, Wisconsin Counties ($16.8 billion total)
    Milwaukee Co. $2.898 billion
    Dane County $1.694 billion
    Waukesha Co. $1.160 billion
    Sauk County $1.090 billion (Dells)
    Brown County $907 million
    Walworth Co. $605 million

    And that is only one segment of the economy (from the 2012 tourism report). I can't imagine that people living in say Rio think they are footing the bill for Milwaukee when in reality Milwaukee is footing the bill for Rio

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousJune 24, 2013 at 4:20 PM

    WALKER is porking up to fund the construction of a building that will house Navy personel.

    So taxpayer money supporting federal programs.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousJune 24, 2013 at 5:17 PM

    I think Sheriff Clark's ads are much more effective, and true. Let's use these same taxpayers funds for free concealed carry permit clinics and give away a free registered gun to everyone who completes the course.

    Crime will drop. Period.

    ReplyDelete