Edward Fallone And Amanda Avalos Resigned From The Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission Over Republican Act 12 Restrictive Provisions

Fallone and Avalos submitted their resignation from the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission effective July 21, 2023.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 20, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - The Milwaukee Common Council confirmed on Thursday that both Edward "Ed" Fallone, Chairman and Amanda Avalos, Vice-chair of the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission (FPC) have submitted their resignations effective Friday, July 21, 2023.

The Milwaukee Common Council released the following joint statement, the Wisconsin Act 12 included a number of outrageous provisions aimed specifically at the City of Milwaukee. Among them was removing the FPC's authority to set policies for the police and fire departments, and transferring that responsibility to each department's chief. This overreaching provision greatly diluted an important oversight responsibility held by the FPC, and is already causing talented, thoughtful individuals to leave their posts, in the end hurting the citizens of Milwaukee the most.

We on the Common Council have opposed these State-mandated provisions at every turn, and will continue to do what we can to right these wrongs.

The Act 12 included $21.7M in supplement Share Revenue aid to the City of Milwaukee, only if the Common Council accepted the restrictive provisions provided to the City. No Share Revenue restrictions were included for other municipalities in the state.

The City of Milwaukee is facing a $183M Gap (deficit) and by 2025 it will increase to $190M.

The majority of the Milwaukee Common (12-3 vote) accepted the 2% Sales Tax increase totaling 7.9% effective January 2024, thus accepting the provisions, which restricts the policy making authority of the FPC.

The FPC policy making is now shifted to the Milwaukee Police Department chief of police and the Milwaukee Fire Department chief.

Apparently, the Milwaukee Common Council failed to allow City taxpayers to decide on their own with a referendum, whether a 2% Sales Tax should be approved instead of the Common Council voting to approve it, strongly indicating a conflict of interest because they voted to fund and secure their own pensions with a sales tax increase.