Barrett Budget Closes Six Milwaukee Fire Stations

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has proposed a city budget for next year that would close six fire stations. He also wants to cut 75 positions for firefighters and 33 for police officers — although no present personnel would lose their jobs. Three of the fire stations would remain open for other purposes, like maintenance and community relations — and Fire Chief Mark Rohlfing says the ending of fire response duties at those locations would increase response times to fire scenes by five to 25 seconds citywide. Barrett cites a fiscal crunch, saying his budget represents a “big difference between hope and reality.” It would raise local property taxes by almost four-percent, and Barrett says he’ll try to get approval from state lawmakers for a one-half percent city sales tax increase for fire and police functions.