Madison’s Common Council adopted the $340.7 million 2020 operating and $173.9 million capital budgets, with increased funding for affordable housing projects and additional Madison Police Department officers last Wednesday.
According to The Cap Times, the operating budget will bring an increase in spending of 2.6% compared to 2019 and an increase of 3.6% to property taxes for the average home valued at $300,967. The tax levy was set at $250 million, which is a 3.4% increase.
The Common Council adopted a $40 vehicle registration fee to help fill the $11 million gap they found themselves in going into the 2020 budget.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway announced the passing of the budgets in a tweet Nov. 15.
Done! $5.5 million for affordable housing and a down payment on bus rapid transit, two of the highlights in our @CityofMadison 2020 budget passed by the Common Council unanimously. pic.twitter.com/25d7ZoHAyF
— Mayor of Madison (@MayorOfMadison) November 15, 2019
The budgets were not passed without the common council making some changes. In total, the Common Council adopted seven amendments for the operating budget.
Last Tuesday, the Common Council added three police officers to the Madison Police Department, which added $123,000 to the operating budget and $45,000 to the capital budget.
A movement to remove $200,000 for an independent police auditor in order to free up funding for additional officers was struck down. An independent monitor was the primary recommendation made by the Madison Police Department Policy Procedure and Review Ad Hoc Committee in their final report in October.
Ad Hoc Committee recommendations focus on civilian oversight of MPD
For the capital budget, alders added 11 amendments to Rhodes-Conway’s executive capital budget proposal.
The amendments included an additional $500,000 for each year of the five-year Capital Improvement Plan for affordable housing development projects.
