The city's full 2008 operating budget will be introduced at tonight's City Council meeting, but because the state budget remains at an impasse, some of the mayor's programs remain in limbo.
Currently, the city budget is set around $200 million. However, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz voiced concern that the inability of state Republicans and Democrats to come to terms on a state budget directly affects and could very well hinder next year's budget.
The failure to pass the budget will have major consequences,"" said state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison. ""The Republican [Assembly version of the] budget is extremely punitive against Madison.""
As it stands today, representatives from both sides say the state budget is days, maybe even weeks, from being resolved.
""Local governments are still out there in situations like Madison's right now, where they're putting the budget together not knowing how much state aid they're actually going to be getting,"" said Mike Prentiss, spokesperson for Senate Republican Leader Scott Fitzgerald, adding Republicans have taken every effort to try and get guidelines set up within the budget to help local governments calculate exact figures.
George Twigg, the mayor's spokesperson, said if the Republican-controlled Assembly version of the state budget passes, more than $15 million in cuts would have to be made in the city budget.
Twigg said the mayor's proposal is focused on improving public safety in the city, as well as public health and transportation.
Adding 30 new officers for the Madison Police Department - at the cost of about $2.5 million - has been one of the mayor's most touted new programs for 2008. The Downtown Safety Initiative will also continue, but to what degree is yet to be determined.
""The Republican budget will mean less police on the street, less public safety,"" Black said. ""The Republicans have taken such an extreme point of view in terms of cutting funding for local governments that they will lead to cuts and the ability to provide police protection and in Madison. We need more police, not less.""
Yet, according to Prentiss, the biggest consequence of a drawn out budget debate is an increase in property taxes, which could go up $600 million. He said that affects everyone in Dane County, including students.
Still, Twigg said ""safety is clearly the biggest issue on people's mind right now."" The problem the mayor potentially faces is deciding how to keep smaller scale programs - such as a current proposal for three new building inspectors.
Two provisions in the Republican budget would cause $15 million in city budget cuts.
Twigg reserved comment as to where cuts would be made - mostly because it depends on the state budget - but he hinted public safety and transportation could suffer.
""A lot of what we want to do depends on getting a budget from the state that doesn't force us to slash and burn our own budget,"" Twigg said.
