In August, Madison Metro proposed both a bus rate increase from $1.50 to $2.00 and cuts in Sunday service. The next month Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said bus fares would stay at $1.50 and there would be no Sunday service cuts because he was able to find funds elsewhere in the budget.""
To the average Madisonian, these developments raised a red flag. Where did the mayor find this extra money, and how would shifting more money to Madison Metro impact other vital city services? Instead of political chicanery, these proposals were a normal part of the city and state budgetary process.
Each summer the mayor issues budget instructions to various city departments and agencies. This summer, due to a state requirement, he instructed Madison Metro to decrease its budget by 3 percent, which led to the proposed rate increase and cancellation of certain Sunday routes.
As explained by an aide at the mayor's office, placing restrictions on an agency's budget projections early in the budgetary process allows for maximum financial flexibility toward the end of the process. In the case of Madison Metro, the mayor proposed a budget 3 percent under its previous annual budget, so the city had additional resources to maintain Metro transit services and fee structures.
If the city receives current funding levels from the state budget, the mayor can trumpet an impressive accomplishment: Bus fares will have remained constant for three years in a row. This is important for all segments of Madison's population: Students will pay less for bus passes, low-income residents can afford to use the services, Madison residents will have an affordable, alternative form of transportation and Madison Metro will see its record-high ridership continue to increase.
In the absence of unforeseen obstacles, the proposed city budget is on route to approval by the City Council in mid-November. However, since state lawmakers have failed to pass a budget - Wisconsin is the only state without a passed state budget - the mayor, City Council and city agencies are in a state of limbo.
The mayor based his proposed 2008 budget on the expectation that the city will receive current funding levels from the state. Due to differences on levy limits and payments for municipal services, Senate and Assembly budget appropriations for the City of Madison differ by $15 million.
If the Republican-controlled Assembly's version of the budget passed, then the city would be forced to cut $15 million from its proposed budget. Since Mayor Cieslewicz proposed a $224 million budget, this $15 million cut represents a potentially devastating obstacle that will either require a dramatic tax increase or a substantial decrease in the quality of city services.
The mayor's 2008 budget is on the whole a good piece of legislation, as it adequately addresses public safety concerns and puts this city in a position to maintain its economic development.
The dangerous consequences of this $15 million cut should be readily apparent, as it jeopardizes crucial portions of the proposed budget. To put this potential cut in perspective, the annual budget of Madison Metro is $10 million, and adding 30 police officers costs the city approximately $3 million.
The maintenance of vital city services and a continued high quality of life for Madison residents depends on the passage of a state budget that maintains current funding levels for the city of Madison.
