{image1}As Wisconsin voters head into the November election, they are being wooed by campaigns like never before -- so-called 527 independent groups and an unprecedented level of grass roots campaign activity. Voters here will certainly have heard just about every promise, claim, charge and counter-charge from every source before the polls close on Nov. 2.

In Milwaukee County, politicians would be wise to close their mouths and open their ears. If they do, they'll hear that the hue and cry for tax relief is as loud as ever.

In a poll released recently by the Greater Association of Milwaukee REALTORS, over 70 percent of Milwaukee County residents favor a freeze on their property taxes. A strikingly high 65 percent of those continue to favor the freeze when faced with potential budget cuts to essential county services.

And freezing the property tax levy is exactly what their elected leader is doing.

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has delivered his third budget proposal since being elected in a special election after Tom Ament was run out of office. And even some of his sharpest critics have to be put off that for a third straight time, Walker's proposal cuts the property tax levy.

Despite the fact Walker is delivering on his promises and responding to the plea from voters, his critics will attempt to shred his budget every way they can. They don't want to believe that it can succeed because they don't want it to succeed.

Walker has run into his challenges to be sure. Unexpected potholes left behind by the Ament machine continue to detour progress from time to time and leave Walker and the County Board with mid-year budget decisions. But Walker has developed a core group of budget and operational professionals to help him manage the county's budget (the largest in the state). His leadership is viewed as far more visionary now, whereas three years ago it was scoffed at as a mere campaign gimmick. And by the looks of the REALTORS' poll, it's clear he's heading the county in the direction that residents want.

Even Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's 2005 budget proposal falls into the perimeters of the Republican legislative "freeze'' plan. True to his word, Barrett made some tough decisions and he, like Walker, must now face a legislative body that has some members who haven't quite yet caught the scent in the winds of change. Barrett and Common Council President Willie Hines, like Walker and Board Chairman Lee Holloway, will have their hands full over the next month or two.

Some of those on the council and board may come around if they remember the results of the REALTORS' poll and the recent Republican primary just north of Milwaukee. There, former Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer lost her primary bid for re-election, in part, due to the issue of whether or not to pass a Taxpayers' Bill of Rights.

Voters made it clear when they ran Tom Ament out of the courthouse that they were finally going to start doing something about taxers and spenders, regardless of party or office held. For those that want to keep their jobs, they have Scott Walker's example to follow.

- Jim Villa runs the Markesan Group. He ran Walker's most recent re-election campaign.

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