MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County Board voted to keep programs and jobs Monday, measures that could result in tax increases.

The board started item by item budget deliberations around 8:30 a.m. Monday morning and worked until after midnight.

"Wear your comfortable shoes, because this could be a long day and a long night," said Sup. Elizabeth Coggs, sporting a colorful pair of colorful hi top sneakers.

The approved budget plan raises the tax levy by nearly 4%, but it does not include a wheel tax or parking meters by Lake Michigan.

The board approved money to maintain two innercity community centers.

"It's not just for poor people," said Sup. John Weishan. "It's not just for kids in trouble. It's for all of Milwaukee County.

The board decided to hold onto control of the zoo, rejecting a plan to pursue privatization.

Sup. Marina Dimitrijevic publicly asked the board, "do we want our zoo to run for profit? Or do we want stand to proud in what is one Milwaukee's best public treasures?"

County union workers watched from the gallery. They hoped jobs will be spared, even at taxpayer expense.

"Everybody keeps saying that they don't want to see their taxes go up," said behavioral health nurse Joanne Marczewski. "But, how much do your taxes actually go up?"

County Executive Scott Walker urged his supporters to call and ask county board members to reject tax hikes. A switchboard operator said she fielded "hundreds" of calls.

"I will veto any tax increase because it hurts our efforts to keep jobs in the county," Walker said in a statement.

Walker told TODAY'S TMJ4 that as many as 400 public positions could eventually be eliminated to prevent a property tax increase.