County officials point to jail overtime, staffing gaps and state underpayment as drivers of 2025 deficit; committee asks OSBP to form work group

Milwaukee County officials told the Committee on Finance on March 13 that persistent overtime, staffing vacancies and a mismatch between state reimbursements and actual CRC costs are the main drivers of a projected 2025 budget deficit, and the committee asked the county's Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance to convene a cross‑functional work group to seek solutions.

Chief Deputy Brian Barko of the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office and jail leaders described rising overtime and vacancy rates as the top operational pressures. Barko said pay increases over recent years have raised overtime costs: "Since 2016, the deputy wage increased by 47%. The correction officer rate increased by 70%, and funding for overtime has not been fully adjusted to match those wage increases," he told the committee.

The work group mandate, adopted by the committee by a 5-1 vote, instructs the director of OSBP to develop options that preserve the county's debt service reserve where possible, identify permanent solutions for the sheriff's office and the Community Reintegration Center (CRC), collaborate with the courts to expand virtual hearings for noncriminal matters, and explore shared back‑office services with the City of Milwaukee. The resolution also asks the director to report regularly to the board and seek county board approval for any actions that require formal authorization.

Why it matters

Committee members and county staff framed the issue as one that affects public safety operations and the county's fiscal stability. The sheriff's office and CRC…