Politics & Government

O&L Discussing Mayor's Referendum Request Tonight

Should Waukesha put all projects above $50 million to a referendum?

The Ordinance & License Committee is discussing at 6:30 p.m. today a request from Mayor Jeff Scrima to put projects that cost $50 million or more to an automatic referendum.

The meeting will be held at City Hall, 201 Delafield St. that the Common Council deny request was placed on hold during Tuesday’s Common Council meeting.

The council delayed voting on the issue because it still has to go before the Ordinance & License Committee.

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“It seems to make the most sense,” said Alderman Joe Pieper, chair of the Finance Committee, about delaying the decision. “That would give this body the opportunity to discuss this only once and make the final determination.”

However, the Finance Committee voted 3 to 2 last week to deny the request. Scrima said during the Finance Committee meeting last week that no one knows better about how to spend money “than our citizens who are paying the bills.”

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 “In these economic times, I believe our citizens deserve financial stability,” Scrima said.

Wisconsin state law already provides an opportunity for citizens to ask for a referendum by presenting petitions of 15 percent of the number of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election.


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