Tuesday, June 12, 2012
The board reveals taxpayers could also be on the hook for $2.2 million more due to a lawsuit loss
Wauwatosans might have to pay an additional $2.2 million for the school share of the 2012-13 property tax levy because of the city’s loss in a lawsuit over a medical center’s tax exempt status, the School Board revealed Monday. The Wauwatosa School Board put taxpayers on notice about the possible extra increase at its Monday meeting. At the same meeting, the board unanimously (other than absent member Sharon Muehlfeld) cut spending but also approved a projected 4.56 percent tax levy increase for the next school year of 2012-13 (see all figures, including a detailed budget chart, here). That’s separate from the $2.2 million. Board President Michael E. Meier stressed that whether to add the $2.2 million to the projected levy increase won’t …
Friday, March 30, 2012
Revenue is not keeping up with expenses, he reports, and that can be expected to continue for the foreseeable future, reducing the city's options each year for continuing to fund the existing level of services.
An analysis by the city's Finance Department forecasts a shortfall of $1.25 million in next year's budget as revenue is expected to fall while expenses continue to rise. That's based on a "cost-to-continue" study of current levels of municipal services. The study, presented this week by Finance Director John Ruggini, looks at both known costs and predictions based on a range of factors such as the general state of the economy, the housing market and interest rates. Ruggini also looked back at the past 10 years of actual revenues vs. expenses in reaching his conclusions. His findings: Revenue to the city could drop by more than $400,000 in 2013, while expenditures would rise by nearly $850,000. Unlike most years past, the cuprit this time …
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
County Executive trims board's EMS funding plan, sheriff deputy funding and other measures to fulfill "no tax increase" pledge.
Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele released his budget vetoes early Tuesday morning, removing the $6.25 million in additional levy spending the County Board added to his proposed 2012 budget. Abele's proposed 2012 budget froze the tax levy at 2011 levels, fulfilling his campaign pledge that he would not increase taxes in his first budget. Abele cut $722,527 from the board’s proposed $1.5 million subsidy to the Emergency Medical Services subsidy to the county municipalities. He had originally proposed to completely cut the $3 million payment to communities to cover training and personnel costs for paramedic services, but the board restored $1.5 million to the program during last week’s hearing. “The municipalities have raised concerns …
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Public hearing on city spending draws no response – indeed, no audience.
- GOVERNMENT
- Jim Price
-
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
It was a momentous night. On the calendar date 11/1/11, Wauwatosa Mayor Jill Didier started out the Common Council meeting Tuesday by announcing that for the first time, the proceedings would be live-streamed from the council chambers on the city's website. Whether anyone was watching was a different matter. It is a matter of record, though, that no one showed up to speak either for or against any item or the whole of the city's 2012 budget in the final public hearing it will get before adoption two weeks hence — on Nov. 15. Two reporters were present to hear City Administrator Jim Archambo make a brief presentation on how city staff had turned a projected $2.6 million financial gap into a balanced budget. That gap was filled by switching …
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
But 10 of those positions are already vacant or will be soon.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
However, County Executive's proposal for 2012 would cut Sheriff's Department spending by $14 million.
Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele Thursday presented a $1.2 billion budget for 2012 that freezes the property tax levy at last year's level and cuts spending by 5.6 percent. In unveiling the plan, Abele described the budget as an “honest” document that does not include any revenue from potential land sales or overly optimistic projections about earning or expenses. While he didn’t go into every detail, Abele focused on four major budget areas in county government. While the 2012 budget proposal still devotes 49 percent of spending to public safety, Abele said it’s time for the Sheriff's Department, which has seen a 62 percent funding increase since 2001, to tighten its belt. He's calling for a $14 million cut on spending in the …
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Among budgetary tidbits: iPads for aldermen, intended to save money by saving paper and printing.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Everybody gets together to greet the new school year with enthusiasm.
Judging by the kids, no one would have guessed that schools are going through tough times with budget cuts. Moms, dads and students gathered at various Wauwatosa schools on Monday and Tuesday to collect paperwork and fill out forms, meet teachers and reconnect friendships that had been put on pause for the summer. A mom comforted her fourth-grader about being nervous as they entered Washington Elementary School. A second-grader, not yet knowing the old standby, “The dog ate my homework” excuse, asked his mom how they would explain to the teacher that their dog did in fact eat the box of tissue they were to bring to school as part of the prescribed list of supplies. It seems that generation after generation, kids start the school year with…
Sunday, April 17, 2011
U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner votes for 2012 budget that dramatically curtails spending.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, April 17, 2011
This opinion column is written by U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Menomonee Falls). It was April 15, 1912 when the “unsinkable” Titanic sank. As it stands, our growing debt and deficit continue to make our own nation more vulnerable to sinking. In an effort to better prevent our own Titanic, Friday afternoon, I was proud to vote in favor of Congressman Paul Ryan’s Path to Prosperity budget proposal for fiscal year (FY) 2012. His plan takes the bold and necessary steps to shift our government’s spending priorities. For the first time in a long time, Congress is now deciding what spending to cut, not whether to cut spending. This is a huge and important step in getting our debt and deficit under control, and I’m proud that House …
Tims23
2:35 pm on Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Being smart and reducing cost exist in almost every job know a days to competitive and bring home a paycheck. We all realize there has to be compromise and tough decisions. As a guideline the average increase in wages (those who have jobs) in 2011 was 2.7. That's what I would determine as the cut off to what is acceptable in school property tax level. p.s. This was my first post…I just feel I … more ›