Adequate funding. Each year, the budget becomes more tightly restricted because of artificial limits placed on the county’s ability to secure funding. For example, Act 10 limits growth in budget to 2% or the value of new construction. That is below the inflation rate. So we are running to catch up. The county has been a responsible steward of public funds and currently operates in the black. In current circumstances, that is not sustainable in the long run. A change has to come from the state legislature. In Wisconsin, counties are extensions of state government. The legislature does not appear to have concern for this issue and, in fact, often makes the situation worse through unfunded mandates to the counties, although it did approve an increase in the current biennium.

The board is divided by factions, not by partisan or ideological groups. Certain subgroups seek power and control to enact their agenda, without regard for benefit to citizens of the county. The recent “investigation” of DHS is an example. That cost more than $700,000 and produced no useful result. There are two parts of the solution: (1) call out and debunk conspiracy theories regarding management and (2) focus every decision by asking “How does this contribute to the well-being of the citizens of Eau Claire County?”

Managing our debt. The new jail complex and the new highway building, combined, cost more than $80 million. A few years ago, our total debt was about $107 million. We are gradually paying it down by about $10 million each year. Today our total debt is about $79 million. Each year we borrow about $5 million for capital projects (not operating expenses). If we could accelerate our payments and decrease our borrowing, we would have more funds for operations. This is easier said than done. Our budget is already stretched to its limits and we have done as much cutting and re-directing of funds as possible without doing serious damage to county operations. The only solutions are expanding revenue streams and/or restricting growth.

(1) Limiting borrowing to capital projects and to no more than $4 million or even less annually. That would increase funds going to operations. We should still pay the $15 million in loan re-payment annually, until the debt drops much lower. (2) Make every effort to fund operations fully. For example, funding for positions of field officers and corrections officers in the Sheriff’s Department. However, the Sheriff must first fill the current 17 vacancies. He is making every effort to do so, but recruitment in law enforcement locally and nationally, has become quite difficult. Also, the Highway Department must increase its road re-construction and repair program. To that end, we should maintain the so-called “wheel tax” (more properly: vehicle registration fee) and seek other revenue.