County Board kills plan to charge parking fee for parks, parkways

The Milwaukee County Board and County Executive Chris Abele found common ground this week in canceling plans to collect parking fees at county parks and parkways beginning June 1.

Abele’s announcement Tuesday and board action Thursday came in response to stiff public opposition in recent weeks to a pay-to-park plan included in the 2018 county budget adopted by the County Board.

The loss of an estimated $1.6 million in new fee revenue opened a deficit of equal size in the parks department budget and the board chose to use the same remedy recommended by Abele — raiding a rainy day fund — to fill the hole.

On a 13-4 vote Thursday, the board approved a resolution by Supervisor John Weishan Jr. to ban the parking fees this year and set aside $1.6 million from the rainy day fund to an allocated contingency fund for the parks department budget.

“We’ve all heard from the public,” Weishan said of opposition to the parking fees.

“Please listen to the people,” Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic said.

Supervisor James Schmitt said he was wary of the remedy because withdrawing the funds would leave a balance of only $4.4 million in the unallocated contingency fund for emergency needs this year.

Supervisors Deanna Alexander, Michael Mayo Sr., Supreme Moore Omokunde and Schmitt voted against the withdrawal.

The one-time use of the contingency fund ensures the search for a sustainable financing plan for county parks — whether permanent service cuts and facility closings or new sources of revenue such as parking fees — will be revisited for the 2019 county budget.

Most of the more than 300 county residents who attended a Feb. 6 meeting at the Mitchell Park Domes annex opposed the plan. Two weeks earlier, citizens packed a board committee meeting at the courthouse to speak out against parking fees at parks.