Redistributing Resources: Henry Maier, the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities, and the Movement to Modify Wisconsin's State Shared Revenues

Abstract

During the 1960s, the City of Milwaukee was enduring fiscal distress. Mayor of Milwaukee, Henry Maier, turned to the State of Wisconsin to modify the state shared revenues formula as a method to increase funding for central cities. Maier created the Wisconsin Alliance of Cities, which was comprised of mayors throughout the state, in order to gain the support needed to pass formula changes through legislation. This thesis examines how the Alliance of Cities was able to modify the state shared revenues formula. Although the Alliance faced rejection from the state legislature, two factors enabled a reform. First, the Alliance created a coalition between urban and rural municipalities as well as civic organizations throughout the state. Second, changes in political leadership and a new governor, Patrick Lucey, allowed for the formula changes to be added to the 1971 state budget.