This is how much YOUR Taxes ARE GOING UP in 2011!

The out of control spending spree Madison's Mayor and Common Council have passed will effect you this much:

The budget, approved by a 16-4 vote, increases tax collections 3.5 percent to $179.5 million, and raises taxes on the average $241,217 home by $98.41, or 5.08 percent.
Alds. Jed Sanborn, Judy Compton, Larry Palm and Thuy Pham-Remmele were the only members out of 20 that voted no (thank them!).  The rest can be found on the following link and you can let them know of your feelings and DON'T FORGET TO TELL THEM WITH YOUR VOTE NEXT YEAR!!  Find them at:
http://www.cityofmadison.com/Council/documents/2009publicroster.pdf

Now -if you live IN Madison and you want to keep track of how much your taxes are going to go up on your next property tax bill - here is the breakdown (so don't be surprised):

Madison City = $98 (5.08%)
Dane County = $48 (2.9%)
MATC scam = $34 (for next 20 years on top of the regular annual increase. See what you're getting, needlessly, below)**
Madison Metropolitan School District = $170 (245.1 million)
Total (excluding state taxes) = $350

This is more than an average car payment and likely about an 8% overall increase in an average home.  Doesn't this make you angry?  What do you want to do about it?!  Start Now!!

Over-the-top spending by MATC:
** $43.1 million for a new health education center and clinic at the main Truax Campus.
** $21.7 million for new law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services facilities, most of which will be at Truax.
** $7.3 million for renovation and upgrades at MATC's regional campuses in Fort Atkinson, Watertown, Reedsburg and Portage.
** $16.8 million for a new west wing, plus upgrades to the current west wing, at the Truax campus to support transportation programs and advanced manufacturing programs.
** $34.2 million for classroom repairs and upgrades at the various Madison campuses.
** $10.7 million for the acquisition of property to make traffic improvements, add more parking, and update storm water and drainage systems.

Add to this the cost we will be burdened with for the Overture Center and the Central Library and the Edgewater Hotel (yes - that will and IS costing you because the TIF districts around it and for it take tax funds away from the pool so the decrease falls on YOU to pay for it).  Mayor Dave mentions in his budget cover letter that "room tax revenues are projected to be down for 2011".  Why are we so focused on rebuilding the Edgewater????

One final thought (and you need to tell the mayor about how you feel) is that our debt hole continues to deepen under Mayor Dave:

Madison's budgeted borrowing is more than three times as much as it was 10 years ago, raising questions about whether its debt payments now and in the future threaten spending on police, snow plowing and other basic services.  Read more at - http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_a5d5f42c-bea0-11df-9006-001cc4c002e0.html

START NOW!