After hours of deliberation, the city’s Board of Estimates voted Monday to pass the 2014 city operating budget, recommending more than 25 amendments to the City Council.
Homelessness, downtown safety and funding for the Overture Center for the Arts were highlighted in the meeting.
City Council will debate both the Capital and Operating budget in their Nov. 5.
Homeless Services
The board tabled the original amendment addressing winter homeless services that offered $40,000 in “gap funding” between January and July. The money would provide showers and port-a-potties to fill the gap of time before the new day shelter for the homeless is opened in July.
Ald. Lisa Subeck, District 1, proposed an amendment to add $21,000 for gap funding, replacing the amendment to add $40,000. However, the board voted against her amendment and will address the original amendment at the City Council meeting in November.
In addition, Ald. Larry Palm, District 12, offered an amendment to add $19,000 to the existing budget for operating costs for the shelter. The board voted to pass the amendment, increasing the existing budget for the shelter to $50,000.
Downtown Safety
The board voted against an amendment to add $35,000 for the Madison Police Department designated for peak service times in the downtown area.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, had sponsored the amendment to designate money for the police department to add officers for the downtown area.
“There’s kind of an assumption that the police will be able to fund the downtown safety initiative from the $2.6 million in overtime funding that is in this budget we approved tonight,” Verveer said. “I’m hoping to offer an amendment to clarify in the budget that the downtown safety initiative will be able to be fully funded from the existing police overtime budget.”
Verveer said the amendment would provide an element of “truth in budgeting,” to ensure the police department would spend the funds for increased patrol downtown.
Ald. Chris Schmidt, District 11, said the decision to allocate overtime money should be left to the police. He voted against recommending the amendment.
“I’m having trouble with this because … I’m struggling with the safety initiative versus overtime question, and I’m much more in the ballpark of [letting] the police department manage overtime,” Schmidt said. “I still haven’t been convinced.”
Overture Center
The board also voted to recommend an amendment that offers an increase in funding to the Overture Center for the Arts in a five to one vote.
The amendment budgets an added $150,000 to the center, bringing the city’s total subsidy to about $1.6 million.
Ald. Denise DeMarb, District 16, did not vote to recommend the increase in funding, saying the money could be spent better elsewhere.
“I will not be voting for it and the reason is because there are no bad things [on the amendment list]… everything has a place and they are all needed,” DeMarb said. “The budget has changed and budget constraints have changed, so I won’t be supporting the extra $150,000. I think it can be used in other ways.”
Overture CEO Ted DeDee said the center offers endless diverse programs for the community, including free programs and a symphony.
He said an estimated 5,000 people pass through the Overture on a typical weekend day.
“[Overture] really is a source of pride for the community,” DeDee said.
