P.O. Box 1222, Madison, WI 53701 | www.prodane.org | office@prodane.org | (608) 257-4985
The Capital Times commended Progressive Dane's TIF reform proposal. They wrote that it "represents such an important contribution to the local debate" and is a plan that "protects taxpayers while maintaining the ability of the city to aid in the development of responsible projects." Highlights from the editorial are below. The full article is here.
To learn more about the TIF reform package read our recent blog entry.
There are some business lobbyists who suggest that the city's taxpayers should be doing even more to help pay for new projects.That is why the proposal by Madison Alds. Mike Verveer and Judy Olson to make a series of changes to the city's tax incremental financing policy to ensure that projects don't harm the city represents such an important contribution to the local debate.
TIF schemes have been used to help many developers complete projects in Madison over the years, and some of those projects have clearly been worthy of the taxpayer support. But that is not always the case.
The proposal by Verveer, Olson and other members of Progressive Dane who serve on the City Council offers a framework to ensure that worthy projects get support while unreasonable handouts to developers are avoided.
Under the plan, the city would require developers seeking TIF money to:
The Verveer-Olson plan is flexible in that it allows developers who identify at least five community benefits - such as job creation or environmental improvements - to qualify for a quick review of their proposals.
- Abide by the city law that requires them to include lower-cost housing in projects.
- Consult with residents of neighborhoods where projects are proposed.
- Review environmental, economic, historical and cultural concerns that might be impacted by their projects.
- Identify clear community benefits before receiving public money.
By holding developers accountable, the Verveer-Olson plan protects taxpayers while maintaining the ability of the city to aid in the development of responsible projects.
Posted by prodane at 07:04 PM
Promoting local business and economic development, protecting farmland and human services, and backing a sane transportation system are the issues headlining Progressive Dane’s policy agenda for Madison and Dane County in the coming year.
"We wanted a unified set of issues that the entire organization will prioritize in the next 12 months," said Progressive Dane Policy Committee member Satya Rhodes-Conway. "Volunteer energy, when focused and fully utilized is a powerful thing, especially in a place like Madison and Dane County."
"These are the issues that are on the minds of folks throughout our community. But there remains a disconnect between local government and the people it is supposed to serve," said Progressive Dane co-chair John McNamara. "Progressive Dane has long sought to bridge that gap and I think these priorities will help people see how their involvement on the issues that matter to them can make a real difference."
The top priorities for Progressive Dane at the county level are:
"Progressive Dane has long recognized the community and economic value of supporting local business," said Vicky Selkowe, co-chair of Progressive Dane’s Economic Issues Task Force, who also noted that every dollar spent here actually pumps seven dollars into the local economy. "We look forward to working with the Small Business Council and others as to help support small, locally-owned business that give Madison a special feel."
Lisa Subeck, who ran for city council on the west side last spring and is a leader among a new generation of women active in local politics, notes "Progressive Dane, at its core, is neighborhood focused and is successful because it connects with people at a personal level about their concerns and hopes. It's an excellent organization for people who want to make a difference in their community."
"Progressive Dane's agenda stresses the importance of community participation in regional planning to limit sprawl, preserve green space, and protect water quality from manure run-off," said County Board Supervisor Beth Gross. "Sustainable economic and environmental practices are essential to protect our quality of life for future generations, along with a commitment to funding human services for people with the greatest need in our county right now."
"These priorities bring together Progressive Dane volunteers, elected officials, numerous other organizations that work on particular issues and, most importantly, the public, to keep Madison and Dane County a place where all people have an equal chance to succeed and have a say in how we grow,” said Michael Jacob, Elections Chair for Progressive Dane.
Progressive Dane members initially considered a list of 70 issues to specifically address in the coming year. A strategic planning session last month narrowed the list to 14, and the seven above were overwhelmingly supported.
Other issues that received significant support included:
"While this policy agenda focuses the bulk of our energy, communications and activism on this prioritized set of issues, we'll certainly continue to work on these other critical issues, especially those that address racism and people's ability to access their local decision-makers" said Progressive Dane co-chair and City Council member Brenda Konkel.
Posted by prodane at 06:14 PM
Alders Verveer and Olson who serve on the City’s Board of Estimates are offering a proposal for reforms to Madison’s policies governing Tax Incremental Financing (TIF), an increasingly important tool for promoting economic development goals. The proposed reforms aim to increase community involvement and accountability in TIF-related decisions and to ensure that TIF projects provide clearly stated benefits to the community.
The alders intend to introduce these reforms, approved by Progressive Dane’s General Membership at their monthly meeting last night, at the June 27, 2005 Board of Estimates meeting.
"The City is spending millions of dollars each year on TIF subsidies; all too often, the public gets lost in the complexity of TIF itself and can’t adequately understand what’s being requested as part of a TIF application or what’s at stake for the community," said Ald. Judy Olson, District 6. "We have a responsibility to ensure that the public and stakeholders can participate fully in TIF subsidy decisions and that the process is made more transparent, less complicated and more accessible to taxpayers, neighborhood associations, community organizations and other residents. TIF reform is sorely needed, and this is an important starting point."
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4 said, "This package of ideas is a logical place to get the long-overdue discussion about TIF reform moving again. If we are to meaningfully shape TIF projects and get the biggest bang for the taxpayers' dollars, then we have to end the first-come, first-serve rush by developers to get to the City's limited TIF funds."
Click here to read the press release sent by PD. Click here for the memo sent by the PD Economic Issues Task Force to the BOE. The State Journal covered the TIF reform suggestions in this article.
Are you new to TIF? Well if you would like to learn more, the Economic Issues task force has developed a 'TIF 101' document for you to read and learn more about the issues surrounding TIF.
Posted by prodane at 04:05 PM
Three Alders today are announcing an alternative proposal to strengthen the city’s enforcement of civil rights laws. The proposal, below, will be offered as a substitute by Alderpersons Brian Benford, Austin King, and Brenda Konkel at the Council meeting of June 21.
“I applaud the Mayor for initiating a discussion on civil rights in our community – it is long overdue, and it has led to a healthy resurgence in dialogue about race, disability, gender, and other protected classes. We have heard loud and clear, however, that the public does not support the restructuring of the Affirmative Action Department (AAD) and Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) into a new Department of Civil Rights,” said Ald. Benford, District 12. “The diverse community organizations and individuals who have spoken out against this proposal deserve real progress and funding commitments for important services, not merely bureaucratic changes that fail to truly help us achieve our civil rights goals.”
Organizations that have formally opposed the Mayor’s plan include the City’s Affirmative Action Commission, the Madison Equal Opportunities Commission, Communities United, Latinos United for Change and Advancement (LUCHA), the ACLU, NAACP, League of Women Voters, Progressive Dane, the Madison Times, Umoja and the Equal Opportunities Commission staff.
Read more about this in the State Journal.
Ald. Austin King, District 8, acknowledged that the alternative is more expensive than the original proposal, but held that the community would support the increased funding of these services.
"It’s true that our proposal is not cost-neutral, but one thing that citizens on both sides of this issue have agreed on is that civil rights are highly valued in this city. I think it’s appropriate for the Council to recognize the community’s support for civil rights by investing in these services. There’s no better indication of our values than what we prioritize in our budget, and I think this city prioritizes civil rights."
"Instead of implementing a restructuring plan that has been met with significant resistance and concern from impacted groups, we believe the Council should start by taking immediate, tangible steps – as outlined in our alternative proposal - that will achieve many of the goals identified by the community as important. Let’s begin to demonstrate our commitment to continuing to address these issues, and fund critically needed services, and let’s do it without the potential to weaken the quality and quantity of services offered by these two vital City agencies," said Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2.
"Regardless of the outcome of the restructuring proposal, we need to continue to work on a variety of other issues in our community such as inequities in bus fare increases, affordable housing, affordable childcare, improved job training programs and much, much more."
Alternative Proposal
- Maintain the current structure of two departments.
- Hire permanent directors for both AAD & EOC and immediately elevate both new directors to the Mayor’s Management Team (“cabinet”).
- Retain the Investigative Supervisor position in the EOC Department
- Retain the Contract Compliance officer position in the AAD.
- Co-locate the departments by early 2006.
- Immediately allocate funds (in amounts equal to those proposed by the Mayor’s original proposal) towards Fair Housing Testing and the Language Access Program (as clarified by the Ad-Hoc Committee’s deliberations, these proposed funds are intended only for translation of City documents).
- Allocate additional funds towards providing interpreter services so that Madisonians with limited English proficiency can access and participate fully in City meetings and processes.
- Conduct a full-scale evaluation of both EOC and AAD (to be completed by January 2006) to determine ways of enhancing the agencies’ services and improving effectiveness.
- Create a Civil Rights Task Force charged with developing and prioritizing specific initiatives aimed at addressing civil rights and quality of life issues in Madison. The Task Force shall make a report of its recommendations to the Council by December 2005.
Posted by prodane at 08:55 PM
Progressive Dane is proud to sponsor the anti-war CD compilation 'No Camouflage' by many of Madison's top artists. Spearheaded by Wendy Bugatti of Coney Island studio, No Camouflage features original new recordings of an astounding array of music and spoken word pieces, plus US soldier testimonials directly from Iraq.
On Thursday, July 7, 7 pm at the High Noon Saloon, 701A E. Washington Ave., celebrate the release of No Camouflage. The release of this CD is an event that will bring together Madison artists,members of local peace organizations and political leaders who support and create community-based change. All money raised at this event will go to local peace organizations.
doors at 7 pm
Free food from local restaurants!
music from 8 pm on
Featuring:
Andy Ewen
Jerry Alexander
Wendy Bugatti and Bucky Pope
The Gomers
Screamin' Cyn Cyn and the Pons
David Hart
Jim Schwall
Suggested donation: $10. Each attendee will receive a free copy of the No Camouflage CD. All proceeds will benefit the Madison Area Peace Coalition.
Posted by prodane at 07:17 PM
Progressive Dane elected Brenda Konkel and John McNamara as co-chairs. Brenda returns as co-chair for another term and John is serving in the seat formerly held by Nick Berigan. Nick stepped down due to other commitments but continues to serve on the Steering Committee. We thank Nick for his service and leadership.
John is excited to serve as co-chair. He has a diverse background and currently serves as accounts manager for Union Cab. Click on the link below to read more about him.
John McNamara has been a Madison resident since 1982. He came here for college and never left. He fell in with the wrong crowd and rather than become a wealthy, Republican MD like most of my high school classmates, he joined the Memorial Union labor Organization, served as its president, and switched his major to English Literature.
After college he went to work for Union Cab of Madison Cooperative. A private sector business with 205 member/workers and existing in a regulated environment.
John has become a strong proponent of the cooperative economic model which should be the economic model for progressives. He has served Union Cab as its president for 4 years and on its board of directors for 8 years. He believes that organizations, especially our economic and political ones, should be democratic, accessible and transparent.
Posted by prodane at 09:19 PM
Madison Metro faces a budget shortfall. The Transit and Parking Commission held a meeting Tuesday night and most public input was against raising fares. The discussion focused mainly on fare increases and potential ad revenue.
PD members Ron Richardson and Lisa Subeck addressed important social justice issues surrounding public transportation. Highlights from the meeting, which was covered by the Capital Times, are below.
"We don't panic in these situations," Cieslewicz told the Transit and Parking Commission Tuesday night. "It's like being tossed in the deep end of the pool. You figure out how to swim."Every member of the public who addressed the committee was opposed to raising fares, which Metro management and Cieslewicz see as a necessary way to help balance the department's budget...
Lisa Subeck, who works with homeless women at the YWCA, told the commission that boosting the base fare would further diminish the ability of her clients to take public transportation.
"My clients use the cash fare," she said, adding that it was a misconception that the poor and homeless who ride the bus do so for free. When asked by a commissioner how they came up with the fares, she replied: "Honestly? A lot of it is panhandling."
Ron Richardson, a Madison resident who lives on the near-east side, said the fare structure is "a social justice issue" that stands to become more inequitable under the proposed increases. He said he saw a familiar pattern: When a government agency gets into budgetary trouble, it "takes services or money from those who can least afford it."
Richardson challenged the city to instead decrease rates for all, and "perhaps something wonderful would happen," as those who pay cash fares might, for example, fill buses during the off hours.
Posted by prodane at 07:10 PM