Committee rejects substitute that would shift courthouse funds to preserve routes and purchase new park cameras

The Finance Committee spent extensive time debating a substitute amendment that would have reallocated modest capital dollars to preserve select transit runs and buy three new park cameras. Opponents warned the change risked jeopardizing state financing for the courthouse project; supporters pointed to students and seniors who rely on specific routes and neighborhood pleas for cameras in parks with recent gun violence.

Supervisor Ekblad described a $150,000 pilot partnership model with Milwaukee Public Schools to maintain limited runs for students at Reagan High School, characterizing the plan as a small, scalable approach. "This a $150,000 isn't just a doubling down on Route 55," Ekblad said, arguing the model could be scaled for other routes.

Chief Deputy Brian Barco of the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office addressed privacy concerns and the technical capabilities of the vendor’s cameras: "Flock cameras do not deploy facial recognition technology," Barco said, and he offered to share the Sheriff's Office policy on data-sharing and prohibited uses.

Why it matters: The debate illustrated competing priorities in a constrained budget: preserving transit service, protecting public-safety and securing state-negotiated courthouse funding. Staff warned that repeated reductions to the courthouse allocation could risk losing state support that negotiators secured.

Outcome: The committee voted to reject the substitute (6–0). Several amendments advancing transit preservation (Amendment 19 and 20) were adopted separately; park-camera purchases were limited or deferred pending clearer policy guidance and board-level consideration.

Provenance: The discussion and votes appear in the amendment session transcript; the Sheriff's Office and parks staff provided technical and programmatic context during committee Q&A.