Madison Reporter

Madison agencies have submitted proposals for the 2025 budget that include options for a 5 percent reduction in services. If all proposals were adopted, they would eliminate 147 positions from the city’s workforce. This is in addition to 144 currently vacant positions not being filled.

The proposed reductions inform the Mayor’s development of two 2025 budget scenarios: one scenario without new revenues and one scenario with new revenues from a successful property tax referendum. In the scenario without new revenues, as outlined in Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s Sustainable Long-Term Plan for Madison’s Budget, around 25 percent of the proposed service cuts will need to be enacted in the 2025 budget, and the remaining cuts would need to be implemented in the city’s 2026-2029 budgets to close future deficits.

Under a scenario where the Common Council puts forward and voters approve a property tax referendum, the city would still be required to find 1 percent in service efficiencies and reductions but would avoid permanent cuts to services in the 2025 budget as well as future budgets.

The Common Council will consider a referendum resolution later this month. If adopted, the Finance Department will still be preparing two 2025 budgets with scenarios that account for a referendum being approved or rejected by voters. The Mayor is scheduled to announce her proposed Executive Operating Budget on October 8.

Details regarding potential cuts to city services identified by agencies for 2025 and future budgets if the city does not gain new revenue through a property tax referendum can be found on the city's Budget page.

Potential cuts include:

Assessor:

- Eliminate the City’s property listing service. Reduction of 2 FTE ($216,046).

Attorney:

- Eliminate a 1.0 City Attorney Position, the summer law clerk program, and various non-personnel accounts ($156,233).

Building Inspection:

- Eliminate Code Enforcement Officer, Housing Inspector, and Information Clerk positions. Would slow down inspection and approval process. Reduction of 3.0 FTE ($264,647).

- Increase various fees: sign permit, tourist rooming house, and first Certificate of Occupancy ($50,000).

Civil Rights:

- Resolve complaints of harassment and discrimination on an as-needed basis by contracting with an outside provider of the service activity. Reduction of 1 FTE ($133,614).

Clerk:

- Reduce poll workers to minimum required levels, increasing wait times ($149,969).

Common Council:

- Reduce intern funding ($11,700).

- Reduce Training and Conflict Resolution Funds ($21,176).

- Reduce professional development and membership funds ($9,574).

- Reduce alder expense accounts for community engagement ($16,240). Total: $58,690.

Community Development:

- Reclassify vacant Senior Center Manager position to Community Development Manager to lead a Finance & Compliance Unit. The reclassified position would be allocated so as not to need these funds ($117,621).

- End City’s financial contribution to agencies providing Youth Restorative Justice Services ($180,000).

- Reduce City’s financial contribution to case management and outreach services for persons experiencing homelessness ($438,000).

- End City’s participation in Northside Early Childcare Zone ($38,000).

Economic Development:

- Discontinue City contribution to various economic development activities including Downtown BID MadREP Summer Meals program Community Gardens Network manager ($132225).

Employee Assistance Program:

-Eliminate employee access individual counseling workplace consultation training external EAP provider (27189)

Engineering:

Provide custodial service instead daily reduction (305739)

Eliminate overtime snow clearing (~$20)

Finance

Eliminate Administrative Support Team positions agency requests administrative support unmet (141168)

Eliminate Data Team position efforts improve use application data effective government programs making city services equitable reduced (90209)

Changes procurement RFP policies increase Affirmative Action thresholds time special projects equity contracting initiative curtailed considerably (91156)

Fire

Reduce CARES program teams resulting loss coverage weekends holidays capacity week reduction (848000)

Remove fire engine company service resulting longer response times decreased safety civilians firefighters reduction (2883499)

Fleet Service

Reduce Fleet apprenticeship full-time position career pathway Fleet Technician reduction (74328)

Eliminate low-cost parts procurement reduction (77209)

Shift trailer maintenance biennial schedule annual schedule (21497)

Reduce minor body damage/repairs decreased resale value Larger reductions result reduction additional savings elimination fleet apprenticeship program reduce janitorial service building data analysis metrics sustainability initiatives monitor driving behavior track issues locate assets defer maintenance vehicles asset maintenance repair every technician eliminated repair time increase

Human Resources

Reduce HR Services unit Organizational Development training budget

Information Technology

Remove currently vacant IT Specialist Web Team reallocation talent Apps Development coming years Another IT Specialist position filled lower level savings contribute discontinue coverage BCC meetings edited podcast show productions event coverage special project requests

Mayor's Office

Reduce deputy mayor position full-time half-time Reallocate sustainability staff operating budget grant funding

Library

Eliminate Sunday hours making access challenging residents evening hours programming reductions

Parks

Shift recreation cost recovery model Eliminate Aquatics Program Pay Park specific parks ice rink bench cleaning restroom support maintenance Forest Hill Cemetery decorative fountains Capitol Square State Street Peace Park park planning services

Planning

Discontinue Arts Grants Neighborhood consultant public engagement Area processes staff Madison Music Joint Campus Committee Downtown Coordinating placemaking activities State Street/Downtown design intern Area public Neighborhood Indicators Project contract

Police

Close district windows records experiment private transcription police reports eliminate Community Outreach section repayment federal COPS Grant Gang Neighborhood Crime Abatement GNCAT patrol services Policing Teams daytime Traffic Safety Enforcement TEST records support executive lieutenant reducing responsiveness accessibility records executive wellness check mental health employees

Public Health Madison Dane County

(Reductions represent initiatives contracts solely City-funded) reduce funding Wellness Initiatives support Foundation Black Women’s Healthy Communities Fund mini-grant program flexible funds Dane organizations improving health outcomes variety topics Narcan business purchase distribute establishments high volume overdoses Vivent Health AIDS Resource Center WI Safe CommunitiesSubstance Injury Prevention training education coordination community prevent substance misuse overdose abuse Safe CommunitiesInjury Prevention supports reduce burden accidental injury related death coalition engagement capacity buildingtraining outreach education Access Community Health ACHC provided care almost individuals access health care Violence Prevention Contract Focused Interruption recipient hospitalbased intervention prevention violent incidents Streets reduce brush collections pre year street repair Close Sunday dropoff sites snow clearing staffing general plowing complete vs clearing bus stops/cross walks neighborhood/residential sanding delayed Metro Transit Several scenarios presented meet exceed target night/weekend late night Saturday Sunday specific Route South Side Brooks Fish Hatchery East/North Sherman Owl Creek West Side Westfield Brooks Traffic Engineering eliminate Traffic created support Metro Existing engineers perform slower completion pavement marking crossing guard amounts underfilling charging additional staff grantcapital reduced radios overtime Transportation Planner