Gov. Scott McCallum’s proposed budget fix will have an immediate impact on Dane County’s finances, Dane County executive Kathleen Falk announced Friday.
Joined by elected officials from across the county, Falk said the plan would instantly eliminate the Shared Revenue Program for most of Dane County. Currently the program provides about $5.5 million for Dane County resources.
“Despite his public statements, for much of Dane County, the governor is not phasing out shared revenue over three years,” Falk said. “He is eliminating it immediately–in 31 towns, four villages, five cities and Dane County itself.”
Falk said the elimination will total over $9.5 million in 2002. Nine additional local governments will be affected by cuts of over 50 percent of their promised funding, totaling an added $10.5 million.
“That’s a lot of money that has already been committed in all of our 2002 budgets,” Falk said.
However, Fred Ammerman, program specialist for the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, said Dane County relies less on shared revenue than other counties and therefore will not suffer as much.
“[Dane County is] lucky because a lot of their money comes from other sources,” Ammerman said. “There’s a lot more money than just the shared revenue.”
Despite diminished reliance on the Shared Revenue Program, Falk said the county’s budget is already strained and will be hurt by the cuts.
“There are not many places to cut in our budgets,” she said. “In Dane County, for example, the dollars we receive as federal and state grants, or those generated by operations like the airport or the Alliant Energy Center, cannot be spent on general county services like road repair. At the county level, to deal with a $5.5 million cut, everything–roads, human services, law enforcement–will have to be on the table.”
The county is willing to work with the state to ensure appropriate spending and fix the budget gap, Falk said.
“None of us can say specifically what will be cut until we hear from our citizens and work with our boards and councils,” Falk said. “All of us put together and live with tight budgets. We are good neighbors and partners and are willing to work with the state and one another to hold costs down.”
Despite the prospective cuts to the county, McCallum said in his address Tuesday, his cuts would be beneficial for state and local governments.
“My budget reform act is about making government less costly, more manageable, more effective and more accountable,” McCallum said.
McCallum said although cuts may be difficult, they are important in order to balance the budget.
“These are tough decisions, but they are manageable, and more importantly, the right thing to do. When implemented, they will set the stage for an even greater and more vibrant Wisconsin,” he said.
