Every politician in Wisconsin has discovered the word “affordability.” Then you look at Milwaukee City Hall, where the Democrats just recommended another raise for the mayor and the Common Council. Not a cost-of-living nod. An 8% bump when the next term starts in 2028, plus 2% every year after that. Democrats, help me understand. If working families cannot afford Milwaukee, why can Milwaukee’s politicians?
Under the plan, aldermen would go from $84,205 to $90,941. The council president would climb from $94,310 to $101,855. Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s office would jump from $169,436 to $182,991. Marina Dimitrijevic, Milele Coggs, and Sharlen Moore voted yes. Scott Spiker and Peter Burgelis voted no. Spiker said his constituents would not support it in this economy and he would be correct. The rest of them seemed to ignore that reality.
In early 2024, they approved 15% raises for the new term. The mayor went from about $147,000 to $169,436. Aldermen went from about $73,000 to $84,206. This was after Republicans passed 2023 Act 12 which increased shared revenue across the state. Without getting into the weeds, Republicans bailed out Democrats bad fiscal policy only for Democrats to give themselves raises. Now they are back for more.
Now imagine a scenario where Milwaukee politicians controlled the state coffers. David Crowley is Milwaukee County Executive and the Democratic nominee for governor. Give him a Democratic Assembly, a Democratic Senate, and the governor’s office, and watch what happens to the $3 billion surplus Wisconsin is sitting on. They are not salivating over rebate checks that most Democrats voted against earlier this year. They are salivating over compensation plans and their liberal wish list that has sat dormant for the last decade.
A Democratic trifecta gets a blank check to give themselves whatever they see fit. They also write the reserves that fund bureaucratic wage adjustments. Milwaukee got a slice of new money and converted it into alderman lifestyle upgrades. You think the first cut of a $3 billion surplus goes to a family outside of Milwaukee or Madison, or to the people signing the budget?
The median household in Milwaukee is not clearing $183,000. The people paying the 2% city sales tax are not getting an 8% bump. Republicans should say this every day until November and Tom Tiffany has already started. Shared revenue was not a personal raise program. If Democrats want to talk cost of living, they can start by living with the salaries they already have.
