Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley expressed grave concerns after the federal government ground to a halt at midnight. His statement pointed to the precarious position that Milwaukee County residents find themselves in, given the recent shutdown—an event that casts long shadows over federal funding and crucial health services for Wisconsinites. Delivered just a day after presenting a budget that wrestled with reduced federal contributions, Crowley did not mince words about the additional strain the shutdown could place on vulnerable communities in the area.
In his statement, accessed via Milwaukee County’s official website, Crowley criticized the current standstill in Washington, saying, “Just yesterday, I presented a budget for Milwaukee County that already made tough decisions about the health services we provide for working families based on a reduction in federal funding today, the President and members of Congress shut down the federal government, throwing into jeopardy the federal funding that supports residents and families in Milwaukee County and across Wisconsin.” According to Crowley, the heart of the matter is whether vital services such as healthcare will remain within reach for families, children, veterans, and seniors.
There seems to be no illusion in Crowley’s stance that the wrangling in Congress is more than a political theater, detrimental to the actual lives it touches. Meanwhile, Milwaukee continues its commitment to lead the state in health outcomes, but the executive acknowledged the stark reality of federal dependency—”we cannot do it alone,” he emphasized…