OUR VIEW: Booming city of Madison is worth $19 more a month
Madison is the heart of the state's fastest-growing region. Our city of 290,000 is projected to grow by 100,000 residents over the next 25 years.
Significantly, Madison is attracting lots of young people to renew and invigorate our economy, neighborhoods and Downtown.
Few cities are so lucky.
That's why — this one time — we're willing to support an extra bump in property taxes, beyond what the state would otherwise allow. Doing so will help maintain police protection, first-responders, parks, streets and more.
Vote "yes" on the $22 million city referendum Nov. 5.
This wasn't an easy recommendation, given some of the mayor and City Council's financial decisions in recent years. They knew city finances were constrained by the state when they agreed to 6% raises for city employees, including workers whose unions have limited bargaining power as well as workers who don't belong to unions.
City leaders also have approved some nice but unnecessary projects, such as the Madison Public Market, which is costing more than advertised.
Nonetheless, city spending hasn't kept pace with inflation plus population growth in recent years. That's because the Republican-run Legislature has constrained city budgets — in part because of the city's liberal politics.
When the Legislature overhauled its formula for distributing state aid to municipalities last year, Madison got less per resident than all but one of Wisconsin's 1,848 cities, villages and towns.
Coincidence? Of course not
Republicans stuck it to Madison so they could steer more state money to the rural and suburban areas the GOP represents. Playing favorites was short-sighted, because the Madison region is an economic engine for the entire state, producing most of its growth, attracting private investment and advancing technology.
Moreover, lots of municipalities across Wisconsin are struggling to maintain services under state-imposed restraints. Baraboo , Monona and Fitchburg are similarly seeking greater taxing authority on ballots Nov. 5.
Madison's $22 million request would increase property taxes on the average home (valued at $457,300) by $230. That's about $19 a month to keep the parks mowed, streets plowed, police walking the beat and ambulances rushing to medical emergencies.
While the city's 6% raises for employees were excessive, given the city's financial challenges, keeping and attracting workers is more difficult because of a tight labor market. Voting "yes" will help avoid turnover, layoffs or furloughs among city staff.
If approved Nov. 5, the $22 million in additional headroom doesn't have to be spent. Council members should scrutinize the mayor's latest budget request for savings. Voters also should hold Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway to her pledge not to seek any additional operational referendums for at least five years.
City officials need to do a better job of lobbying the state for fair funding. The capital city provides a lot of services to state buildings that deserve greater reimbursement from the governor and lawmakers. With Democrats likely to gain seats in the Legislature this fall because of more competitive districts, the city should renew its push for a local sales tax for regional transportation.
In theory, the city could pull from its reserves to get by for another year if the Nov. 5 referendum goes down. The city is earning more interest income than expected. But without additional authority to raise revenue, its budget gap is likely to grow in future years, creating a bigger problem.
Madison is becoming too expensive for many people to live here. Approving the city's $22 million request could make it harder for struggling people to afford a home or apartment. On top of that, the local school district is seeking additional money for buildings and operations this fall. Those referendums deserve scrutiny, too.
Yet unlike the schools, which have flat enrollment, the city is booming. Voting "yes" Nov. 5 is justified to help Madison maintain its growth and flourish.
