City alders offered amendments to Mayor Paul Soglin’s 2015 Executive Operating Budget at a Common Council meeting Tuesday at the City-County Building.
City Council members proposed additions and cuts to the budget in order to prioritize programs, which included neighborhood policing, body cameras for police and general ways to raise city revenue.
Many alders spoke in favor of increasing funding for three additional neighborhood resource officers, which Police Chief Mike Koval proposed in his budget request.
Ald. Maurice Cheeks, District 10, said the lack of officers was felt throughout the community.
“Neighborhood officers have been extremely effective in Allied, and when we reduced the number of neighborhood officers in Allied when we were having staffing limitations in the summer the neighborhood really felt it,” Cheeks said.
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, proposed equipping police officers with body cameras, saying the cameras would provide a cost savings to both the police department and city residents.
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The city has received 425 emails regarding body cameras for police officers, Resnick said.
Ald. Mark Clear, District 19, questioned whether the city should spend as much as it planned on the renovation of the Madison Municipal Building.
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“I think we need to think hard about whether we need to spend $30 to $40 million on office space for city employees,” Clear said.
Ald. Matthew Phair, District 20, suggested eliminating the proposed Wi-Fi service in Metro buses.
“The Wi-Fi service wasn’t a top priority when we’re facing so many big questions,” he said.
Clear and Phair also said they supported Koval’s request for additional neighborhood resource officers, though Clear favored realigning the existing positions in the department instead of increasing funding.
Ald. Anita Weier, District 18, proposed making up the difference by allocating the funds to hire a new assistant police chief to two neighborhood resource officers.
Several alders, including Phair, said they were in favor of eliminating an assistant economic development director position within the Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development.
Other proposed cuts included selling the Yahara Hills Golf Course, which has been losing money for the city and rolling back funding for the Overture Center to current levels.
They also proposed reducing funding for a neighborhood center on the city’s southwest side and cutting funding for the recently passed public market on the east side of the city.
One proposed source of additional revenue the council debated was exploring the possibility of raising parking ticket fees.
Alders also discussed their current rate of compensation and whether they could become eligible for benefits.
