The Madison City Council debated amendments to the 2007 Operating Budget Thursday, and ultimately passed the budget in a 16-4 vote, raising the budget 5.1 percent from 2006.

"This is a better budget than we've had in years past," City Council President Austin King said. "Taxes are going up much less than they have."

Ald. Zach Brandon, District 7, proposed several amendments that were notably the cause of extensive debate for the three nights of budget meetings. In total, he proposed to cut the budget by more than $9 million.

Yet Brandon placed all but one of his remaining amendments on file Thursday evening in a decision he said was in the interest of time, not because of a lack of support.

"It makes me sad to see these amendments coming off [the agenda]," he said. "Many of us aren't thinking twice about saving those dollars for our constituents."

The amendment Brandon did not place on file would transfer $350,000 from the 5 percent increase in room taxes to the Overture Center, and passed in an 11-9 vote.

But according to Ald. Ken Golden, District 10, money raised from the room tax is required to go toward something related to tourism, and allowing the money to go to the Overture Center opens up a "slippery slope."

And some members of the council, including Ald. Larry Palm, District 15, questioned the classification of the Madison's Overture Center as an establishment that truly attracts tourists from out of town and gets those visitors to stay in hotels.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said instead of moving the funds to the Overture Center, they should be saved them for a "rainy-day fund."

"For once, this is not what I would describe as a crisis year in our budget," Cieslewicz said. "I do think that putting these revenues away for a rainy day is a good idea, and it's not a rainy year — light drizzle maybe, but not rainy."

Though the mayor's funding for a Madison Police Department staffing study and additional police officers was already approved, Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, proposed an amendment to create a sub-committee that would require public input on how Police Chief Noble Wray would allocate the funding.

After much debate, the amendment failed in an 8-11 vote.

Many members of the council opposed the amendment because it was a policy issue and had nothing to do with the city's budget, since it only dealt with how the funds would be allocated within the MPD.

But Ald. Cindy Thomas, District 20, said the amendment would give too much power to the council over Chief Wray.

"I don't believe we should micro-manage any department and tell them where to slot positions," Thomas said. "They are the experts and they know what's best … but we still think that we know best."

Another amendment that would deny funding to purchase a $15,000 air-conditioning unit for a new pool house downtown also failed in a narrow vote.

According to Parks Superintendent Jim Morgan, the pool house concession stand is brand new, but in the summertime, workers often have to endure conditions in the kitchen of more than 100 degrees.

Ald. Brian Benford, District 12, said the council should have compassion for the workers even though the building was built poorly. After much debate, the air-conditioning unit will be included in the budget.

The council also passed an amendment proposed by King to compensate sexual assault victim "Patty" $35,000 for her struggles and treatment by the MPD during her ordeal. King said he has been working to give Patty compensation since earlier this fall.