http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/32434639.htmlMilwaukee County panel derails airport privatization
By Steve Schultze of the Journal Sentinel
Oct. 10, 2008
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s plans for privatizing Mitchell International Airport were dealt a setback Thursday, when a County Board committee voted 7-0 to ditch his call to spend $500,000 on consultant studies.
The topic riled supervisors, who questioned the concept and complained that Walker hadn’t included them in preliminary talks on airport privatization.
-snipping paragraph about Supervisor Patriica Jursik complaining about the "big rush"-
She also strongly objected to Walker’s attempt to link Mitchell privatization with the funding problems facing the county transit system. Walker has pitched Mitchell privatization as a way to possibly generate $25 million a year for transit. He says privatizing Mitchell’s operation could generate as much as $1 billion for a long-term lease with the county.
Jursik said the transit funding crisis will hit in 2010, long before an airport outsourcing could happen. Walker has said he believes Mitchell could be privatized by then.
-snip-
http://www.examiner.com/airlines-airport-in-milwaukee/milwaukee-co-executive-scott-walker-puts-general-mitchel-int-l-airport-privatization-back-playMilwaukee Co. Executive Scott Walker puts General Mitchel Int'l Airport privatization back in play
January 12, 2010
Elizabeth Perkins
In his annual "State of the County" address, Tuesday, Jan. 12, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker again called for privatizing General Mitchell International Airport (GMIA) operations, along with courthouse security and park maintenance.
Walker unsuccessfully sought County Board support for a study on airport privatization and outsourcing for 2009, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper. In Walker's speech Tuesday, he promoted outsourcing as a solid way for Milwaukee County to turn a profit while paying down debt and financing the county's transit system, all without having to increase property taxes.
Along with some Milwaukee business leaders, Walker has advocated leasing GMIA, long-term, to a private firm, claiming it would streamline business operations and generate budget deficit easing revenue.
-snip-
Though Walker suggested few details, his latest remarks show that he considers the discussion of airport privatization far from over.
I'd say that last sentence was an understatement, since this is almost certain part of the reason for wanting financial martial law in Milwaukee County.