Number
101310
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. HINES, HAMILTON, WITKOWSKI, MURPHY, DAVIS, WITKOWIAK, BAUMAN, WADE, ZIELINSKI, COGGS, KOVAC, PUENTE, BOHL, AND DUDZIK
Title
Substitute resolution expressing the City of Milwaukee’s support for maintaining local control over residency rules.
Analysis
This resolution expresses the City of Milwaukee’s support for maintaining local control over employee residency rules. The resolution also directs the Intergovernmental Relations Division - Department of Administration to lobby for maintaining such control and the City’s authority to establish residency requirements for its employees, and urges all state legislators to support current municipal residency requirements.
Body
Whereas, Under home rule granted to cities under the Wisconsin State Constitution and State Statutes, cities have the authority to govern themselves in local matters; and
Whereas, Local governments and school districts throughout the state are currently able to evaluate their own unique circumstances and concerns as they decide whether to require their employees to reside within municipal or district boundaries; and
Whereas, The issue of local residency is not a matter of state-wide concern but is instead clearly a local question that should be determined by local governments that are directly accountable to local voters; and
Whereas, Generally, residency requirements have been upheld and deemed to be constitutional by federal courts, provided the employing jurisdiction has demonstrated a “rational basis” for these provisions, with the “rational” interests including such things as employee availability for emergency calls, employees having a stake in the community for which they work, enhancing the tax base, improving community attitudes and cooperation, increasing loyalty to the community, etc.; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee has had a residency requirement for its employees since October 10, 1938, and this practice ha...
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