Madison's Board of Estimates met Monday night to listen to budget requests from several public service representatives and began to dissect the mayor's 2008 operating budget.
Mayor Dave Cieslewicz's 2008 operating budget is a proposed $224 million. Cieslewicz said he put an emphasis on public safety and economic development in this year's proposed budget - which increased slightly from 2007.
The majority of the mayor's budget - more than 40 percent or nearly $90 million - is allotted to public safety. The Madison Police Department has a proposed $53 million budget for 2008, which includes adding 30 new police officers and more money to the Downtown Safety Initiative.
MPD Chief Noble Wray told members of the Board of Estimates, some of who also serve on the city council, that the community has voiced their concern for the level of safety throughout the city through numerous listening sessions.
Wray did not specifically present his plans for the new officers, but noted, historically, we're a year behind.""
He said this in reference to last year when 10 new officers were budgeted.
However, none of those 10 officers have hit the streets yet, and Wray said they probably would not be ready for use until February of 2008 because of the training.
Wray then pointed out that the 30 new officers the mayor has budgeted for the police would likely not be on the streets until June of 2008. And even then, only 12 officers are expected to be ready, the other 18 would be ready for use in February 2009.
In addition, Wray's assistant John Davenport said the MPD needs more upper level officers, such as lieutenants and sergeants. He said in the 1990s, about 20 percent of the staff was high-ranking officers and now it has fallen to nearly 16 percent.
""Our goal is to enhance public safety in each [sector] of the city,"" Davenport said, adding that it is very difficult to manage when a shortage of lieutenants exists.
He suggested the BOE consider allowing room in the budget for two extra lieutenants.
Still, the city's budget will have to wait for the state to finalize their budget. The city council is set to vote on the passage of the mayor's budget in November.
