Milwaukee County’s next budget boss cleared a major hurdle after a rocky start, with Nick Sinram, County Executive David Crowley’s choice to lead the Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance, surviving a tense second confirmation hearing. Supervisors grilled him over his recent stint at Milwaukee Public Schools while repeatedly noting that the county is staring down deep, multi-year budget shortfalls. In the end, the Finance Committee voted 5-2 to recommend his confirmation, sending the decision to the full County Board for a final call.
The Committee on Finance backed Sinram with votes from Supervisors Shawn Rolland, Willie Johnson Jr., Felesia Martin, Juan Miguel Martinez and Anne O’Connor, while Supervisors Steve Taylor and Justin Bielinski opposed the move, according to Urban Milwaukee. The recommendation came on the heels of a unanimous endorsement from the board’s Health Equity, Human Needs and Strategic Planning committee. The split on Finance underscored lingering skepticism among some supervisors even as others argued Sinram’s technical chops make him the right pick to steer the county’s finances.
Crowley first rolled out Sinram as his nominee in March and tapped him to oversee the county’s roughly $1.4 billion annual budget, per a Milwaukee County news release. Before landing at the county, Sinram served as Milwaukee Public Schools’ director of financial planning and budget services starting in 2023 and previously worked for the state’s workers’ compensation division, the City of Milwaukee’s budget office and the city attorney’s office. He departed MPS amid broader staffing and budget changes at the district earlier this spring, according to WTMJ.
At the Finance Committee hearing, supervisors zeroed in on his MPS chapter. Supervisor Steve Taylor told colleagues he had “a total lack of trust in MPS,” and Supervisor Justin Bielinski pressed Sinram on why he exited before the district’s troubles were resolved. Sinram replied that “this was too exciting of an opportunity” and said the county role was the right move for his family and career, a comment reported by Urban Milwaukee.
Budget Pressure That Framed the Hearing
The debate played out against a backdrop of stark fiscal warnings from county financial staff. The Office of the Comptroller’s five-year forecast projects a roughly $46.7 million gap for 2026 and cautions that deficits could grow if the county does not find new revenue or make cuts, according to the Comptroller’s forecast. Monthly fiscal updates delivered to the Finance Committee echo that grim trajectory and are recorded in the county’s meeting minutes. Officials have flagged transit, pension obligations and wage pressures as the main drivers of the looming imbalance.
Next Steps and What to Expect
Crowley personally attended the Finance Committee session and urged supervisors to sign off on his nominee, describing Sinram as well suited to manage the county’s complex budget, according to a Milwaukee County news release. The appointment now heads to the full County Board, where a simple majority is needed for confirmation. Supporters say they want Sinram in the chair quickly to start tackling transit and pension pressures. Skeptical supervisors, for their part, signaled they will measure him by his early budget moves rather than his resume.
What to Watch Next
All eyes now shift to the full Board vote and Sinram’s first swing at the county budget. Those initial proposals will signal whether Milwaukee County leans on service cuts, hunts for new revenue, or tries a mix of strategies to close the gap. Supervisors are also expected to demand a clearer timetable for any transit system overhaul and how far the county is willing to dip into reserves. The choices on the table will help determine whether Milwaukee County can dodge even deeper cuts to core services in the years ahead.
