Milwaukee County In Financial “Crisis”

County Executive Walker vows to work with county board members in the midst of what Supervisor Elizabeth Coggs calls a financial 'crisis.'

MILWAUKEE - County Executive Scott Walker vowed Monday to work with county board members in the midst of what Supervisor Elizabeth Coggs calls a financial "crisis."

County workers fear layoffs, furloughs and cuts. Lamont Johnson handles maintenance at two county community centers. It is a job he would like to keep. "It's just my prayer that they'll find a way to make ends meet," he told TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Tom Murray. Walker called off nearly 180 layoffs Friday after notices already went out in the mail. He agreed to seek other money saving possibilities. "We have to finish 2009 with a balanced budget," Walker said. "We're doing all these things to avoid a budget deficit." Walker plans to meet weekly with county board leadership in search of alternatives to cutting jobs. "We all have to work together now more than any other time in our history because of the dire straits that we're in," said Supervisor Coggs. Department heads like Zoo Director Chuck Wikenhauser are ordered to pinch pennies through the rest of the year. "If it's not an emergency, we're not fixing anything," he said. "This is the toughest it's been." It is estimated that county leaders need to locate between $600,000 and $1,000,000 to make up for the cancelled layoffs. The 179 employees would have been off the job through the end of the year.

The Public Works, Health & Human Services and Parks would have seen the most significant impact, with each slated to lose more than 50 workers.

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