Mayor Paul Soglin proposed his $275.2 million 2014 City of Madison operating budget Tuesday, which decreases funding for the Overture Center by $300,000 but increases funding for the Downtown Safety Initiative by $15,000, according to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.
Soglin’s proposed spending to the Overture Center is $1.45 million, which is significantly more than he proposed last year, but is still $300,000 less than the performing arts center received in the final 2013 budget and that it requested for the 2014 fiscal year.
“This is a tremendous improvement from how the Mayor has treated the Overture Center in the past,” Verveer said.
Verveer claims he is encouraged by the new budget but still intends on amending it for the Overture Center to receive the full $1.75 million.
Similar to Soglin’s proposed Overture Center spending, his proposed operating budget allocates $65,000 more than last year to the DSI, which is far less than the $100,000 the Madison Police Department desires. Verveer said the DSI is “by far the most important thing on the budget, in terms of student safety.”
The DSI enables cops to work overtime every weekend downtown, which greatly benefits the safety of people in the downtown Madison area, Verveer said. He added the plan is likely receiving more attention from Soglin than it did last year because of the May 2012 shooting in front of Segredo’s and Johnny O’s, and the attack on former Badgers running back Montee Ball.
Although Verveer said he appreciates Soglin increasing DSI funding, he said he needs assurance from the Madison police chief the $65,000 will allow for full staffing of policemen to ensure safety downtown on weekend nights.
In addition to these provisions, Soglin said he proposed part of the “modest excess” of city reserves to fund initiatives that will research ways to improve the results of nonprofit, community outreach organizations, as well as provide additional funding to ensure everyone has voting accessibility in future city elections.
Various city committees, including Board of Estimates and the city Council, will negotiate the terms of both the capital and operating budgets before voting on them the first week in November.
