Muskego Mayor Candidates Talk About the Budget Repair Bill

Luke Hudock and Kathy Chiaverotti are in the running to be the next mayor of Muskego, and while both are unsure about how the budget repair bill will affect the city whether it passes or not.

Chiaverotti said that though she hasn't seen the full legislation, collective bargaining is a part of our society.

"There are a lot of ways the bill could affect Muskego," she said. "But until I see the legislation, I don't want to presume how it will affect the city and how the city works with employees."

Luke Hudock supports Walker's bill because of the freedom he said it will bring the city when it comes to balancing the budget. He has also issued an official statement.

"Without collective bargaining, Muskego will have the tools to negotiate with its own workers," he said. "Every place is different, but it's better to deal with employees directly instead of dealing with public employees of the state."

Doing away with collective bargaining allows cities like Muskego to set up its own set of rules and regulations. Now, Hudock continued, the city is hamstrung by deals with unions set up with the state. Removing collective bargaining, he said, removes the middleman from the employee-employer relationship, which could prove beneficial for the relationship.

As far as potential savings, Hudock said the city will see some savings, but that money will more than likely be offset by the reduction or elimination of state shared revenue.

"The bottom line is that cuts are coming for the foreseeable future for schools and cities," he said again. "Only Muskego knows what's best for Muskego and how best to move forward through the tough times we're facing."