Madison’s Streets Division may not escape cuts as governmental agencies throughout the state look for ways to cut their budgets to account for the $1.1 billion budget deficit.
“It’s really too early to say what’s going to get cut,” said Madison Street Superintendent Roger Goodwin. “Right now we’re only working with the governor’s proposal. Nothing will be final until summer.”
Nonetheless, Mayor Sue Bauman directed the Streets Division, along with all other city agencies, to generate ideas on how its 2002 budget could cut 5 percent–about $907,000–of the annual $18.6 million provided for the department as a precautionary step.
“Right now we’re identifying what could potentially be cut,” Goodwin said. “That information won’t be available to the public until the ideas are presented to the mayor on Feb. 22. The mayor decides.”
While budget cuts are only proposals as of yet, a cut to the Streets Division could have a profound effect on the city.
The department, which employs about 200 people, deals with jobs including refuse and recycling; large item, litter and graffiti removal; brush and leaf collection; large waste drop-off; street and sewer repairs and snow and ice removal–an important facet of keeping the city of Madison functioning during severe winter weather.
“The Streets Division provides a variety of civil services,” Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said. “It ranks right up there under the Division of Public Safety in terms of service to citizens. The members of City Hall take cuts of [the Streets Division] very seriously.”
Verveer said the city has to prepare for the worst-case scenario, meaning an $8 million cut from Madison’s funding this year and a $16 million loss next year.
“McCallum is passing the buck to local government,” Verveer said. “The budget cut would be felt everywhere. The Streets Division is by no means exempt.”
Last year, the Streets Division had to slightly increase prices for appliance and tire pickup. Verveer said if the proposed budget cut passes, a similar situation might result.
“Maybe [the Streets Division] will have to charge for other special items removal,” Verveer said. “I really don’t know what will be cut. Everything they do is important. This is a very, very grave situation if indeed the state cuts $8 million from our funding.”
The Streets Division’s ideas about how to decrease spending will be brought to the mayor Feb. 22.
