P.O. Box 1222, Madison, WI 53701 | www.prodane.org | office@prodane.org | (608) 257-4985
October 08, 2006
PD statement on city budget
A strong thriving city is one where people have affordable housing in safe neighborhoods, good jobs and transportation options to get there, and safe, quality care for their pre-school children. These things are most available where the public and private sectors complement one another.
Progressive Dane believes that Mayor Cieslewicz's proposed budget makes targeted investments in critical areas and builds on a solid foundation to make Madison even stronger.
In particular, Progressive Dane is pleased to see that Mayor Cieslewicz's budget:
- Couples investments in police and community services. "Ensuring public safety for all requires addressing current challenges with adequate police staffing and heading off future challenges by making sure vital services are available to those in need," says Vicky Selkowe, a member of Progressive Dane's Policy Committee. "This budget makes that important link."
- Provides additional support for Metro. "With this budget, the Mayor has made it clear he understands how important Metro is to working families. Like many others in Madison, I rely on the bus to get to and from work and appreciate efforts to keep it affordable. I'm also excited that the Mayor is going to make it possible for small employers to offer bus passes to their employees – that's a really important workplace benefit, and a nice way to support small and local businesses" said Satya Rhodes-Conway, a Progressive Dane member who worked on the small business bus pass proposal.
- Increases assistance with childcare costs. "Quality child care can quickly get out of reach for families," says Michael Jacob, a member of the City's Early Childhood Care and Education Board. "The Mayor's increased investment in this area means more parents will be able to head to work knowing their children are well cared for and without worrying that the costs of that care will sap their entire paycheck."
- Demonstrates an on-going commitment to affordable housing. "Working together, we've set the stage for more affordable housing options and broader community support, first through implementing improvements to the inclusionary zoning ordinance and here in the budget by restoring money to backfill federal cuts in CDBG and community services funding," says Lisa Subeck, Progressive Dane co-chair. "There may be room for a stronger investment and more creativity here, but the Mayor's past work and this budget is a very good place to start."
"We're looking forward to a more thorough review of the Mayor's budget," Subeck continued, "especially the many promising Community Services programs that were not funded and whether we can do more for families struggling with housing and child care costs," Subeck, "but what we've seen thus far continues to support a positive vision for the city."
Posted by prodane at October 8, 2006 10:46 PM
