Soglin asks city agencies for 5% budget cuts. (Wisconsin State Journal, 7/12/2011)
Excerpt: Mayor Paul Soglin hopes a 3 percent rise in taxes on the average home and a 5 percent cut to city agencies can balance Madison's strained budget in 2012.
The city faces a $5.6 million cut in state aid and rising costs to continue services next year. A 3 percent increase in taxes on the average home - the highest Soglin would support - would leave an $11.2 million shortfall.
To close the gap, Soglin on Monday asked agencies, including the Police and Fire departments, for budgets with 5 percent cuts for next year.
The cuts save $10.7 million, leaving a $500,000 shortfall, interim Finance Director Debra Simon said.
[snip]
"Never in my experience in city government did we face a set of circumstances such as we confront for 2012," Soglin, mayor for 14 years over three decades, told managers.
Later, he said, "It means you have to cut services. I don't see any way any agency can avoid being a part of this."
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