News

Mayor restores hours at Madison library

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz announced two 2006 budget amendments Wednesday — the restoration of Sunday hours at Central Library and an additional contribution of $50,000 to the city's contingent reserve.

Funding Sunday hours at the library will cost $60,000 and, according to a release, the expendable $110,000 came from a higher-than-projected collection of Payments for Municipal Services.

George Twigg, communications director for the mayor, said PMS funds come from what is known as Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT), which the city obtains from non-profit groups like churches that pay for city services but do not pay taxes.

According to Twigg, amendments to budgets like this are atypical because the city comptroller, who manages city funds, is normally aware of the money the mayor has to use before he creates the budget.

"We don't usually have things like this come in after the budget is already figured," Twigg said. "Usually the mayor knows exactly what he is working with."

Twigg said funding Sunday library hours became first on the mayor's list when funds became available.

"When he realized the extra funds became available, he was sure to make funding for Sunday library hours a priority," Twigg said.

Cieslewicz, in a letter to the Common Council, expressed his happiness for the ability to provide the financial support to the Central Library.

"Eliminating Sunday hours from the library was one of many difficult choices I had to make when developing my executive operating budget," Cieslewicz said. "I am pleased that the good news we have gotten will enable us to restore this valuable community service."

Twigg said the contingent reserve fund was also a priority for the mayor. The fund is a "rainy day" fund for the city to use in case of emergency.

In the past, the contingency fund has always been around $1 million, Twigg said. However, due to budget constraints, the fund was only set to contain $800,000 before the latest addition.

Cieslewicz said the fund would be used to keep pressure off taxpayers.

"Given the likely volatility of expenses such as fuel, this is a prudent budgetary safeguard to protect city taxpayers," Cieslewicz said.