Q: What's
going on with the City Budget?
A: The City Council won't be able to approve an annual
budget until the legislature and the governor make their decisions about
revenue sharing to local municipalities. The governor wants to substantially
reduce aid to the cities. The council met for the first time to discuss the
budget at a special meeting on March 26.
At a later date the council will probably have a public hearing. Meanwhile the council is asking
citizens to submit ideas to the mayor's office at budgetideas@ci.madison.wi.us
or call 266-4611. I will send a summary of the city department recommendations
to anyone who requests one. Send a
request to me at district2@council.ci.madison.wi.us or 345-8720.
Q: What's
the status of the proposed redesign of State Street?
A: The Madison
Board of Estimates delayed approval of the State St. project pending further
information about costs and budgetary restrictions. The lead committee which
makes the final recommendation to the city council is the Downtown Coordinating
Committee. The Common Council is waiting for the Board of Estimates and the
Downtown Coordinating Committee to complete their review of the proposed
project. I expect the proposed redesign will come back to the Common Council in
May. The big question is:
“should we spend $32 million on a complete redo of State St., its side
streets, the ‘concrete park’ and Lisa Link Peace Park?” An alternative would be to spend a
smaller amount on deferred maintenance (e.g., replacing damaged trees, installing
new bus shelters, repairing brickwork and fixing broken pavement). I have insisted that this proposed
remake not be rubber-stamped.
Instead I have lead the charge to demand that we have complete
information and a thorough understanding of this proposed first remake of our
city's greatest street. I'd like to hear what you think about this issue.
Q: How and
why did the city's aldermanic district boundaries change?
A: Much to
everyone's surprise, the City of Madison changed its district boundaries a year
earlier than usual. This boundary
change resulted because a special election was needed in the Spring of 2002 to
fill a vacant aldermanic seat. In
order to determine which electors could vote in this special election, the
Wisconsin Elections Board determined that district boundaries must be based on
the 2000 Census.
As of January 1, the new second district is bounded on the
east by Fordem Ave and the Yahara River and includes Sherman Terrace and the
Camelot Apartments. The South
boundary begins at the Yahara river where it continues toward the Capitol on
the North side of E Washington until Webster/Dayton St. (the outer loop) to N
Pinckney St. which runs up to E Gilman St. to Wisconsin Ave and then down the
lakeside of Langdon St. to
West Lakelawn. Consequently, the second district no longer
includes the area around East High and Emerson School but now includes part of
the Mansion Hill
Neighborhood Association and more of the campus area.
Q: Why does
the light at Ingersoll and E Washington begin blinking so
early in the evening?
A: Actually it blinks later than it used to. As a test project, the light was
changed to begin blinking at 10:00 pm instead of 8:00 pm. Based on comments
from the public during a one-year trial period (ending in about nine months),
the transportation department will decide whether to change it back to 8:00 pm,
retain the 10:00 pm blinking start or have it begin blinking at a later time. I
want to hear your comments. Please e-mail me or send a note to me. (511 E
Mifflin St., Madison WI 53703)
Q: What's
going on at Breese Stevens Field?
A: Cranes have
been installing a cell phone tower.
I am a member of a committee that is examining several options for
Breese Stevens Field. The committee is considering how the field might be used
and repaired. If you have suggestions, please contact me or another committee
member. Other subcommittee members
include Ald. Judy Olson, Alfonso
Zepeda Capistran, Bob Shaw (editor of this newsletter), Ed Jepsen, Eric Bertun,
Richard Bernstein and Brad Weisinger.
-Alder
Brenda Konkel