County Board Supervisor Leland Pan, District 5, and Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8 held the second annual community budget conversation Wednesday, highlighting proposals for increased cameras and police units in downtown areas with high crime.
According to Resnick, City Council requested $50,000 for downtown public safety from the city budget, which is currently at $275 million. Resnick said Mayor Paul Soglin recommended $15,000 for the downtown area, but some council members believe more resources are needed downtown.
“It’s only for four hours that we really need these [downtown police] units,” Resnick said. “We don’t need additional police officers and structured staff costs. We need either overtime or resources for other divisions.”
Resnick said 10 to 12 extra officers would be useful during the weekend on campus. Additional resources would be used for police on horseback, as well as overtime hours for officers, he said.
In addition to requesting more law enforcement downtown, Resnick said the council is looking to help bring justice to criminal activity by adding cameras in areas where crime has occurred in the past.
“One of the pieces that we were looking to do is add about $53,000 in additional cameras downtown,” Resnick said. “If you go back to when there was a shooting on University Avenue, the entire shooting itself was captured on tape. That tape actually was invaluable for both figuring out who shot at [whom] and actually identifying muzzle flashes in guns.”
The new budget also seeks to renovate the 700 and 800 blocks of State Street. It asks for $4.9 million dollars to improve landscaping and provide more lighting in the area, as well as reserve space for public art, Resnick said.
According to Pan, the county budget is also focusing on countering homelessness, especially on State Street. Pan said $600,000 was put into purchasing property for a daytime warming center for the homeless last year.
The homeless used a temporary center last year, which Pan said was successful. He said the council is interested in investing in a permanent facility. Should a permanent facility be adopted, Pan said, budget amendments would have to be made to accommodate operational costs.
Pan also said the county is looking to provide services that would help the homeless find employment.
“There are very few showers that are accessible to homeless, which makes applying for jobs very difficult,” Pan said. “In addition to that, [there is a need for] storage space, locker storage space for homeless people to put their stuff. Again, applying for jobs, you have to carry your home on your back, [so it] is very difficult,” Pan said.
City Council will take a vote on a 2014 operating budget and capital budget in its Nov. 5 meeting, and the Dane County Board of Supervisors will address its budget in mid-November.
