Waukesha Finance Committee to Review Budget Repair Bill

The Finance Committee will discuss at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall the budget repair bill and how the controversial legislation that strips the majority of public union employees from the ability to collectively bargain for issues other than wages.

Police and fire department union employees are not subject to the provisions in the legislation brought forward by Gov. Scott Walker. The controversy and protests surrounding the budget repair bill brought national attention to Madison in February and March.

The budget repair bill and Walker’s proposed state budget leaves the city a projected $1.5 million to cut from the 2012 executive budget and city leaders have said the budget process will begin early this year.

The committee will be presented information from the League of Wisconsin Municipalities about how the budget repair bill can impact Wisconsin communities.

A memo from Finance Director Steve Neaman states that the non-union employees will have to begin contributing 5.8 percent of their salary toward their Wisconsin Retirement System pension. Elected officials are being required to contribute 6.65 percent of their salary toward the pension system.

The city is not impacted by a health insurance provision in the budget repair bill because the city does not use the state health care program, the memo states.

The union employees that are not police or fire will need to begin contributing the 5.8 percent of their salary into their pension after the city’s union contracts expire at the end of 2012. The memo from Neaman states the city will need to review its employment policies before the contract expires.