In a series of budget briefs and reports produced during the past three years, the Public Policy Forum consistently has urged Milwaukee County’s leaders to recognize the structural nature and depth of their fiscal problems and to develop a strategic approach to address them. In the pages that follow, we provide greater detail and analysis of the recommended budget’s priorities and key features mentioned above, as well as other elements that speak to the county’s long-term financial health. It is our hope that this analysis will be widely read by county supervisors, county employees, advocacy groups, taxpayers, and citizens, and that its insights will contribute to a more objective and informed 2012 budget debate.