EDITORIAL: Penny-wise and pound-foolish

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Deflation has claimed almost every possible victim in the past four agonizing years. It seems the only thing that has inflated is the rash use of the language by politicians.

For instance, a Milwaukee County executive, staring down a crushing $55 million budget deficit and a campaign promise not to raise taxes, will broaden his definition of luxury. It’s a dangerous view to take, particularly if the promise and debt blind the executive to the effect his decisions will have on the performance of his departments.

That’s the risk County Executive Chris Abele is taking by cutting a relatively paltry $59,073 from his proposed budget.

The money was used to at least partially reimburse about 100 county-employed attorneys for their State Bar of Wisconsin dues and their required Continuing Legal Education courses.

Certainly, the reimbursements are a perk for the county’s court commissioners, corporation counsel and child support enforcement lawyers. Jeff Bentoff, Abele’s deputy chief of staff, has equated the payments to a luxury and cited the state’s lack of such reimbursements for its attorneys as a reason for the county to follow suit.

But it’s a shortsighted budget cut that overlooks the true value of the reimbursements. An overall budget line that amounts to about one-tenth of 1 percent of the county’s deficit could be 100 percent why a top candidate accepts a job, or a 20-year veteran with a wealth of institutional knowledge leaves.

People, no matter their income bracket, have their own budgets to balance. Even if an extra $800 a year for dues and CLE courses doesn’t erase a personal budget crunch, it still declares the county values its employees and emphasizes career development and performance excellence.

That commitment gives the county a competitive horse in the race for quality attorneys who probably could make far more in private practice.

There’s a difference between a luxury and a perk. The first is unnecessary. The second might save thousands of dollars in time spent training a replacement for someone the county nickled and dimed out the door.

This is a time for Milwaukee County to streamline its departments and study every budget line for wasted money. This is a time for an executive to keep his promise.

But this also is a time to understand the county doesn’t have the luxury to underestimate the true value of its investments.