Milwaukee County board adopts budget-report amendment, approves jail-calling contract and other measures; urges state to adopt hands-free driving law

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on March 20 adopted a package of administrative and policy items, including an amendment to the county—s 2025 year-end fiscal projection report that requires financial verification by the Milwaukee County Comptroller, authorization of a three-year amendment to the county—s jail calling contract, and a resolution urging the state to adopt a hands-free cell-phone law.

The board adopted the amendment to an informational fiscal report (file 25-74) after Supervisor Johnson proposed adding language that would require the Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance to work "with cooperation from the comptroller and other departments" on a comprehensive plan and to provide regular status updates "with financial verification by the comptroller." The amendment passed on a roll-call vote of 16-0, and the amended report was adopted by the full board 16-0.

Why it matters: the change requires explicit comptroller involvement and verification in the administration—s budget-balancing work, a procedural step supporters said would strengthen financial oversight ahead of future budget actions.

Key actions and outcomes

Comptroller verification added to fiscal-projection report (Item 11, file 25-74) - What the board did: Adopted an amendment adding comptroller cooperation and requiring that regular updates on deficit-reduction efforts include "financial verification by the comptroller." The full file was adopted as amended. - Why it was debated: Supervisor Johnson said he had voted no in committee because he wanted explicit comptroller verification and clearer departmental reporting timelines; he moved the amendment to add that verification. Director Lamers of the Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance had described administration…