Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn took center stage last week to defend the 2009 Police Department budget proposal. Aldermen were surprised to find out the department needs $5 million to buy a new 911 emergency call system, even though the current one is just five years old.

Officials told aldermen that when the city bought the current system, it was already "antiquated," and that the vendor for that system won't have any more parts after 2009. The department did learn something over the whole affair -- a new system will have a 10-year service contract.

Aldermen also questioned plans to spend $370,000 on a program that essentially oversees the city's crossing guards, including more than $90,000 for one administrator. "That's pretty much what they do," Flynn said of the program office.

Assistant Chief Monica Ray added that the office runs a limited bicycle safety and child safety program as well. It also follows grant activity.

Public Policy Forum, a local think tank, says the proposed city budget looks smart since it tries to bring in new revenue streams (such as fees to counter the fact that state shared revenue hasn't increased since 2003). The Forum, however, warns that will be tougher to do after 2009 and that cuts will be more difficult.

"While debate on fee increases is likely to remain contentious in this and future budgets, the city's capacity to utilize this approach is limited," the Forum said in an analysis released this week. "The state restricts the types of fees the city can create, and also stipulates that the revenue the city can receive from a service charge cannot exceed the cost of providing the service. Consequently, the city's recent practice of increasing its user fees to offset diminishing state aids may be unsustainable."

Cast of Thousands Getting in Competitive Race: The race between Democratic state Rep. Sheldon Wasserman and Republican state Sen. Alberta Darling for Darling's seat is getting attention from all sorts of circles.

Ranking Senate Republican Scott Fitzgerald from Juneau weighed in with his resounding support for Darling, calling Wasserman a "chronic taxer.

"The Senate is already controlled by people who think the government needs more and more money from the hard working families of Wisconsin," Fitzgerald said. "It does not need one like Wasserman, who is not even honest about breaking his word."

Fitzgerald contends Wasserman broke his pledge not to raise taxes by voting for the state budget, which raised certain fees and taxes and argues in favor of a tax on hospitals. The hospital tax would have released hundreds of millions in federal aid as well.

Americans for Tax Reform, led by esteemed right-winger Grover Norquist, also chimed in regarding Wasserman's record on taxes.

"Despite his Pledge to taxpayers, Wasserman has repeatedly sought to increase taxes on Wisconsin consumers and families," said Norquist. "Not only that, but he has violated the very spirit of the Pledge by dismissing it in support of tax hikes."

The Tax Reform group had to go back a few years to find some Wasserman tax tinkering, including:

• In 2005, Wasserman sponsored a bill to increase the state's cigarette and tobacco taxes by more than $300 million per year. The bill would have pushed the cigarette tax rate from $0.77 to $1.77 and increased the tax rate on chewing tobacco to 57 percent. Wasserman is a doctor, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that he would want to raise cigarette taxes.

• In 2007, Wasserman voted in favor of advancing a $48 million tax increase on garbage collection. The bill would have increased the current tax by 233 percent.

• Last October, Wasserman expressed willingness to break his Taxpayer Protection Pledge by supporting a tax hike included in the 2008-‘09 Budget.

Palinized: For those who need a laugh as the political season winds down, check out PalinAsPresident.com, featuring the Veep asking that all-important question, "Where'd Russia go?" and "North Koreastan."

No Sleigh Bells, No Holly: It will be Christmas without religion at Green Bay City Hall after a federal judge tossed out a suit over a nativity scene that was installed in front of the government building last year.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation sued the city to stop the scene from appearing again. After the Foundation created waves of protest last year, the city pulled the display. U.S. District Court Judge William Griesbach dismissed the case Tuesday for lack of jurisdiction since the display was removed and the city imposed a ban on future displays.

The judge's ruling conveniently dodged the constitutional questions over religion and government that usually percolate in the wake of such activity.

The Foundation claimed victory in any case, but was somewhat disappointed.

"The Christian legend about the supposed birth of its savior is no more 'history' than the claims that Joseph Smith was given golden tablets by the angel Moroni, or claims that Paul Bunyan and his giant blue ox roamed America," said Foundation co-president Dan Barker.

"It concerns us to see one religion's assertions claimed as fact in a federal court decision."