Wannabe tough guy son of privilege has darkly intoned that he will "hold accountable" and "name names" of legislators who voted for the state budget that provided for early release of prisoners.
Now comes word that the County budget could lead to inept Sheriff David Clarke releasing jail inmates to home detention, discontinuing rehabilitation programs and reducing freeway patrols -- but that's cool with him.
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. says his 2010 budget has a nearly $5 million hole in it, which will force him to release 120 jail inmates to home detention, discontinue inmate rehabilitation programs and possibly reduce freeway patrols.
"There are consequences to how you have patched this budget together," Clarke says in a letter to County Executive Scott Walker, County Board Chairman Lee Holloway and other supervisors. "That is not a threat; it is reality."
The sheriff said, however, that he is not asking for additional money. On Wednesday, Clarke said his cuts were agonizing choices that he knew would upset some. But he said he was determined to make his budget balance rather than seek additional money from the County Board and County Executive Scott Walker.
"If the money is not there, it's simply not there," Clarke said. "I'm not whining and saying, 'Give me more.'
Now those released inmates would be "nonviolent" and tracked electronically -- though said tracking can always be dispensed with if the inmate is determined enough.
Clearly the city is concerned about cost shifting:
Patrick Curley, chief of staff for Mayor Tom Barrett, said he is concerned that Clarke's cuts will end up shifting costs to the city.
For instance, Curley said, officers with the Milwaukee Police Department arrest more than 350 people a year who are being monitored by electronic bracelet. Fewer deputies on the highways also would lead to more arrests by city cops there and perhaps higher overtime costs, he said.
That doesn't even include any potential harm that Milwaukee citizens might suffer because of the cuts, Curley said.
"The dominoes are falling here," he said.
If that happens -- or reduced freeway patrols result in tragedy -- will Sykes hold Walker accountable the way he promises to for his political opponents? Or will he just abet Walker's demonstrated feckless leadership style of trying to foist problems on others?
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