Representatives for city administration agencies delivered their 2015 Capital Budget recommendations to Madison Mayor Paul Soglin and city alders at Thursday’s Board of Estimates meeting.
The discussions on the 2015 Capital Budget, which Madison’s Common Council is scheduled to take up and debate later this fall, focused extensively on funding for programs addressing the digital divide, sustainability initiatives and future building and renovation projects.
The 2014 budget allocated $150,000 for improving Internet access to those in areas affected by the digital divide. Alders want to expand and preserve that effort in 2015.
“Everything is online right now, starting at a young age,” Ald. Denise DeMarb, District 16, said, citing that everything from elementary school homework to job applications now takes place on the web, as well as stressed the need for continually improved access.
Madison is also on track to take part in a Georgetown University energy consumption “race to the bottom” competition for cities under 250,000 people as an effort to boost green friendly practices, according to the Facilities and Sustainability office branch of City of Madison Engineering.
The competition is a contest to see how far communities can reduce their residential energy consumption footprint and is sponsored and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National League of Cities, according to the competition’s website.
However, the proposed Madison Municipal Building Restoration Project, estimated to cost $30 million, was more controversial between alders and city administration officials.
“My concern is whether we’re on a track to go a full length on this or [whether there are] other steps that we can take that accomplish renovation, rehabilitate this building so that we can pull back on this and not have a $30 million job here,” Ald. David Ahrens, District 15, said.
Planners behind the project countered, saying the $30 million price tag included not only construction costs but plans for long-term investment.
The full MMB Restoration Project plans will be presented in full next Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Madison’s Common Council meeting.
