Madison360: Smart investment could be hard sell with voters - Which it SHOULD BE!

Can we afford giving MATC over a quarter of a billion dollars for expansion? The "initial" request for phase 1 is for $150 million but the full cost is over $300 million. We must ask are the new facilities really needed at such a cost and to such a lavish extent?

- Everyone in the City, County, State government wants to jump on the "LOW INTEREST" bandwagon to promote their agenda of spending citizens tax dollars.  Now is NOT a good time.  We have: too many unemployed, too many other costly taxes added to property taxes, the costs of the Edgewater and expanded TIF districts is not known yet, and personal income is down (or frozen) and the tax base is down - so - that means higher taxes for the working middle class.  Follow the money trail on my previous posts...

We need these questions answered:

Edgewater - Beginning of End

This is some correspondance I had with Mark Clear, my current council representative when the beginning of the Edgewater project began.  Mark (and the mayor) and I do not agree with each other about the Edgewater development.  See details at the bottom for more in depth TIF discussions on a blog I have been following.
(For a really interesting read Lucy Mathiak’s Blog on TIF funding and a communication she had with Mark Clear: http://lucymathiak.blogspot.com/2010_02_21_archive.html#4028295722773157371 ) 


From Mark:

Damian,

I'm happy to address some of Mr. Mollenhoff's points.

We Must Stop Property Taxation Without Representation!

Cap Times July 12-18 reports property taxes now claim 4.5% of personal income (highest since 1996) with net property taxes totaling $9.4 billion in 2010.

I am sharing some information with you concerning property taxes and the endless increases levied to home owners by MMSD, MATC, Dane County, The City of Madison, TIF Funding, The State of WI, etc.

Almost daily I read in the paper about how our taxes are going to go up again because these entities are losing state funding and because of mismanaged budgets and because of lost tax revenue from open TIF districts that should have been closed in Madison (Lucy Mathiak, school board member and TIF Revue Board is a great source for TIF districts and their affects - see blogs I am following). With this being said – I was contacted by John Matthews of MTI because I was wanting answers from MMSD about several different issues that need to be addressed to stop the constant hit to our pocket books. John had done some research and made some proposals to some in the assembly for a 1 cent increase (or more) in sales tax to help fund MMSD. There was some interest by a couple and I told John that this was a serious concern for me and that I would contact some representatives and senators. I also did some research and found this idea has been presented before but never accepted (see attached). I contacted those John identified and so far I have not received a reply (I am not surprised by this). I am not going to let this go and will continue to work for this cause.

Given this information, we need to get our tax code changed to rely much less on property taxes and more fairly shared by those who work and live in our community, via sales tax, income tax, food tax, other. I, as many others will not be able to afford to live in this community if these increases continue. I have documented all my communications to all elected officials and I have been acquiring newspaper articles relating to tax topics since early this year. When put all together – the readings are FRIGHTENING!

I look forward to hearing your views and any ideas you may have. My goal is for us to organize to make our voices HEARD.

I am attaching some links that have been published and which all relate to our local government generating current and future taxation without representation.

I will be posting more in the next few days as these egregious acts are numerous.

Did you know?:
- 80% of Madison Property Owners do NOT have children in public schools.
- Almost 50% of properties in Madison do not pay property taxes!

School district braces for aid decline.  Posted: Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Not only are we looking at property tax increases but property owners are expected to lose their property tax credit!  http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/article_0c72b1a9-a659-53f3-96a9-450d5cfeca43.html 
Plain Talk: At least Evers is raising issue of school aid formula: Posted: Monday, July 5, 2010
Still no discussion about any other funding than property taxes.
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/dave_zweifel/article_5c20ea12-e428-5ee8-88d6-fabc4f0b8fb4.html

MADISON'S SUPERINTENDENT SEEKING BALANCE, GAINING FANS DANIEL NERAD IS PRAISED FOR LISTENING AND WORKING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND TAXPAYERS. Posted: Sunday, August 24, 2008
(This was 2008 - this plan was supposed to hold proerty taxes in check (reasonably) for the next 3 years; how could Nerad miss so many important indicators that changed the "idea" so dramatically???)
http://host.madison.com/news/article_4cc6d4e6-e949-541e-a8e7-4668b66d46ac.html


DISTRICT TO HOLD PUBLIC SESSIONS
Posted: Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Madison School Districts officials will hold four sessions for the public to learn details of the district's Nov. 4 referendum that will seek permanent property tax increases to avert multimillion-dollar budget shortfalls.
(Why did this fail?  How did this fail??)
http://host.madison.com/news/local/article_c9a72cd9-c659-5a3f-a7cf-25b72a98c5f4.html

Madison school budget faces difficult cuts in upcoming meeting: Posted: Sunday, April 25, 2010
(How did we get here, from there, so soon?!)
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/article_0eac2251-41cd-5dbe-b71d-787500e96e56.html



NOTE:  No One has raised the issue of funding with sales tax increase thus far rather than the non-workable property tax hikes!



$85 Million in Repairs!?
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/article_db95bf00-4198-11df-ac30-001cc4c03286.html

Proposed Madison School District Maintenance Referendum: 1999, 2005 and 2010 DocumentsMadison School District http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2010/04/proposed_madiso_3.php


Madion District Got $23 million from taxpayer for school repairs in 2005 - Where did it go???
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/local_schools/article_b06924b8-78b9-11df-ae82-001cc4c002e0.html

M: Madison School Board member may seek audit of how 2005 maintenance referendum dollars were spent Susan Troller  http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2010/04/madison_school_167.php


Referendum????
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/local_schools/article_e9f05fe2-4030-11df-89a2-001cc4c002e0.html


4-year old kindergarten in budget for $6 million (Do we really need this?)http://host.madison.com/thecaptimes/article_f63e3eb7-0986-5485-ac02-0ae5bcf46456.html


Overstated debt - Extra cuts Not Needed:
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/local_schools/article_9f42feca-46b4-11df-bc5e-001cc4c03286.html

NERAD: CUTS WON'T HURT SCHOOL PROGRAMS
This was last year - what happened from 2009/2010 to 2010/2011????!
http://host.madison.com/news/local/article_57185b5a-1ac1-5165-bef1-a4d07427799d.html  


MATC Will Raise Tax Levy by 10% (Was Actually Higher)!  For 2010-11, the total tax levy could increase by 8.94% with a resulting mill rate of 1.43038. The operational levy, controlled by a 1.5 limit, would then be 1.28708. The District would remain 14.19% ($15,391,849) under the legislative limit for operational levies. 
Question: What will happen to all the new buildings and facilities when the economy gets back on track and enrollment declines?
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/campus_connection/article_1de9f0f0-4843-11df-942f-001cc4c002e0.html

Madison expands TIF districts - creating lower property tax pool.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_891aa96c-8634-11df-97e7-001cc4c03286.html

TIF extension for Edgewater project could be iffy
(read how the Edgewater TIF district costs you money!)
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_b2911013-1bcb-5f6e-86da-dbaacfcfd000.html

Developer eyes 230-room hotel at Rimrock Road and Beltline
(And NO TIF funding was required!)
http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/article_f0382cee-92a2-11df-9e9e-001cc4c002e0.html



Council gives mayor OK to negotiate Overture deal
(Pay close attention to this as it may begin to effect our taxes to fund)
By DEAN MOSIMAN | 608-252-6141 | dmosiman@madison.com | Posted: Wednesday, August 4, 2010
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_2ffe0e2d-900f-5f11-8855-2e48afc7bdf0.html

Madison360: Coming to a neighborhood near you: less influence
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/madison_360/article_b9247866-962c-5e13-9dd6-2952207519b8.html

Madison neighborhood leaders fear diminished role in city planning
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/article_17ec1b5a-99d9-11df-a006-001cc4c002e0.html

MATC moves toward a $150 million expansion and a referendum is likely

(read the full WSJ story by clicking on the title above)

Can we afford giving MATC over a quarter of a billion dollars for expansion?  The "initial" request for phase 1 is for $150 million but the full cost is over $300 million.  We must ask are the new facilities really needed at such a cost and to such a lavish extent?
- What happens to the expansion facilities when the economy improves and people go back to work and enrollment declines again? 
- What will be the cost to maintain the new buildings in future? 
- Do we currently have underutilized buildings (public or private) that could be improved/remodeled to suit the needs of expanding enrollment - especially at decentralized locations (essentially, recycling buildings that can then be recycled again if not needed)? 
- Am I the only one who sees the size and expense of this project over the top and grandiose?
- Are the proper checks and balances for this being carried out?
- Why do other tech colleges in the state accept growth and use existing buildings to fill their needs?

State Superintendent Tony Evers presents Pieces For A Better School Plan (Short On Specifics)

(Read the full story by clicking on title)

No alternatives were specifically identified for relief on property tax levies.  Please contact Mr. Evers and ask him why he is not supporting a sales tax alternative (or A Penny For Kids) to help fix our funding problems - webadmin@dpi.wi.gov  or  http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/sprntdnt/cabinet.html . 

I have asked the candidates running for governor to come forward with their viable plan for improving education and reforming how it's funded - their replies are below.  This is OUR CHANCE to make them review new plans (when in office) and encourage them to work with the State Assembly who blames current failure to pass legislation on the governor. 

Contact the candidate you support for governor and ask him what his position is on reforming school funding (if not found below) and his plans to make this a priority working with the Assembly!  START NOW!

info@barrettforwisconsin.com
info@scottwalker.org
mark.neumann@markforgov.com
info@marktoddforgovernor.com


Mark Neumann's Plan (with response):
"Please take the time to view Mark's detailed education plan here:
http://markforgov.com/candidate/issues/education  The problem with
education is not that we aren't spending enough money. The problem is
that we are spending too much money on bureaucrats and mandates for
Madison, rather than the kids."