On the Table: State Shared Revenues

Intergovernmental aids comprise nearly 29% of the City of Stevens Point's revenue.  (See article below.)

But in the meantime, here are 2 instructive pie charts from the City of Fond du Lac 2011 budget proposal.

Even a small reduction in the size of the pink piece of pie wlll result in painful decisions as to the redistribution of the expenditure pie.  Who gets cut and how much, in other words.  Unless, of course, your municipality opts for the in-your-dreams scenario and raises the full amount of lost revenue through property taxes.

Proportionate or 

disproportionate cuts?

Link to November 15 Stevens Point Journal article, "Shared revenue status in question".

Excerpt: Stevens Point services or taxes could be in trouble if shared revenues are cut in Wisconsin's next budgeting session.

With a state budget shortfall of more than $2.7 billion for the upcoming budget, shared revenues will be a likely target to shore up the deficit.

About half of the state budget is made up of shared revenues, which is money collected from municipalities that are distributed back to them. It's a crucial part of the budget.

"Everything is on the table, including shared revenue, aid to school, BadgerCare," state Rep. Louis Molepske Jr., D-Stevens Point, said. "Everybody is waiting to see what will happen."

Shared revenues make up a large portion of a city's operational budget. In 2011, shared revenues will account for almost $6 million of the city's $23.3 million budget. That's a little less than half of what the city takes in through its tax levy.