So, I do this crazy thing. From time to time, I actually listen to AM radio. Let’s just call it “opposition research”. Anyways, yesterday I happened to catch Ald. Brandon on Vicky McKenna and his spin on “last night”. There were a few things that were kinda staggering that he was crowing about. Here’s just a few of the gems. And, remember, this is the guy that didn’t even stay to the end of the Board of Estimates meeting and didn’t vote on the Operating Budget cuz he stormed out. There’s taking responsiblity for ya!
1. He was bragging about cutting $5,000 for copying council packets, however, he didn’t vote for the amendment that would have cut more money.
Amendment #25 – Cutting money to print the Common Council packets.
Sponsor: Rhodes-Conway
Total and Levy Impact: ($9,026)
This generated alot of discussion about how people do their work. We all have laptops and could stop killing the trees. Also, it was noted that about half this cost is copies for the Mayor’s office, not the Council office. This one was eventually placed on file in favor of #26.Amendment #26 – Cutting money to print the Common Council packets.
Sponsor: Brandon
Total and Levy Impact: ($5,000)
Apparently, we’re easing into this one. This passed unimously.
2. He was bragging about how he got the START program that helps create jobs for people in Allied Drive to agree to cut their funding. Which was basically required because the program wasn’t spending the money to help Allied Drive. In describing this, he claimed the I and the Mayor were sitting at the table saying “I don’t understand.”. However, I wasn’t even at the table. Had I been, I would have been saying, “Damn straight they’re not getting our money!“
3. He was really proud of cutting $5,000 for the “Jobs with a Future” program. This money was cut last year and he claims we shouldn’t contribute money because we just help fund the program without any outcomes. However, he was willing to vote for $18,000 for the Collaboration Council without any outcomes. Jobs bad. Chamber of Commerce talking circle good?
4. He claimed Progressive Dane is rebranding itself by calling themselves progressives. Huh? Re-branding Progressive Dane by using the word “progressives”. It’s in the freaking name “Progressive Dane” how is that re-branding?
5. Here’s some “hard choices” Ald. Brandon was not willing to make:
CAPITAL BUDGET
Amendment No. 3 – Police / Project #1 – Taser Deployment Plan
Sponsor(s): Ald. Rhodes-ConwayRemove funding for Tasers.
General Obligation Debt ($35,000), Other Funding $0, Total ($35,000)
Levy Impact: $ (4,533)This failed 1 – 5. Rhodes-Conway was the only one voting in favor.
My understanding is that there are enough tasers for each officer to have on when they go out on a shift. This money is so that they all have their own personal taser.Amendment No. 6 – Engineering – Major Streets / Project #14 CTH M (CTH PD Area), Engineering – Major Streets / Project #15 CTH M (Mid Town Road Area), Engineering – Major Streets / Project #16 CTH M (Valley View Road Area), Engineering – Major Streets / Project #17 CTH M, Engineering – Major Streets / Project #18 CTH M (CTH S Intersection)
Sponsor(s): Alds. Rhodes-Conway, WebberRemove funding for all components of County Trunk Highway M projects for 2008 through 2013. Future years’ funding will be contingent upon the development of favorable cost sharing arrangements with Dane County.
General Obligation Debt ($1,050,000), Other Funding 0, Total ($1,050,000)
Levy Impact: $ (135,980)This rather large cut was defeated. It was a 3 – 3 tie with the Mayor voting with Brandon, Bruer and Verveer to spend the money.
Amendment No. 7 – Engineering – Major Streets / Project #46 – Pleasant View Road
Sponsor(s): Alds. Rhodes-Conway, WebberDelay funding for all components of Pleasant View Road project by one year. (This amendment moves $2,900,000 from 2008 to 2009, and $4,340,000 from 2009 to 2010.)
General Obligation Debt ($2,900,000), Other Funding 0, Total ($2,900,000)
Levy Impact: $ (375,563)This amendment would have saved us money and allowed us to follow our neighborhood plans and not re-prioritize projects out of order. However, the motion failed with only Rhodes-Conway and Verveer voting in favor.
OPERATING BUDGET
Amendment #28 – Cutting the hiring two additional park rangers.
Sponsor: Rhodes-Conway
Total and Levy Impact: (15,000)
This was amended to leave the park rangers in the budget and then requiring them to go to training on AODA and homelessness issues and what resources are available. This amendment passed and I believe it was unanimous. However, I have to say that it is pretty appalling that Jim Morgan seemed to indicate that an afternoon of training would be enough for them to run across someone in the park a few times a week and then say to them “You gotta be better than this and here’s where you go.” There’s so much wrong there I need to write a separate blog on it. The biggest issue being that he assumes there are resources to send someone to.Amendment #57 – Cut one police officer, add $20,000 for child care assistance (same as amendment #53) and the $26,985 for the 4C’s Latino Child Care program.
Sponsor: Rhodes-Conway, Clear
Total and Levy Impact: ($2,515)
This was modified to remove the duplication from amendment #53. It was a 3-3 tie this time with the Mayor voting with Bruer, Rhodes-Conway and Verveer.In the end this one would have saved $22,515.
6. Here’s some money he helped add to the budget:
Amendment #19 – Cut the Fit City Coordinator and add the WIC Program Nutritionist
Sponsor: Rhodes-Conway, Konkel
Total and Levy Impact: $368
Passed unanimously. However, there was a question about if we could do it because the intergovernmental agreement for the health department says that there will be no lay-offs.Amendment #24 – Changes to structure and positions in the Assessors Office
Sponsor: Mayor, Verveer
Total and Levy Impact: $50,043
Passed 4 – 1 (Sanborn), Brandon out of the room.Amendment #27 – Funding for Gypsy Moth Spraying
Sponsor: Verveer, Webber, Mayor
Total and Levy Impact: $25,000
This passed unanimously. It was abundantly clear after Marla Eddy’s excellent testimony at the last meeting why this was needed.Amendment #42 – Funding for $40,000 for the UW Applied Population Lab to provide us with “Neighborhood Indicators” to measure if a neighborhood is well.
Sponsor: Mayor
Total and Levy Impact: $0
This passed unanimously.
And just a side note. Even keeping victims of domestic violence from being killed isn’t worth
$5,682 to Ald. Brandon.
Amendment #61 – Additional funding for hotel vouchers for homeless victims of domestic violence.
Sponsor: Clear
Total and Levy Impact: $5,682
Same old, same old 4 – 2 (Brandon, Clear)
Seems to me that a guy that doesn’t even stay to vote on the budget, adds money to the budget and refuses to vote for some cuts isn’t as pure as he claims. Next time you hear Ald. Brandon grandstanding on the budget, before you believe what he says, check the facts.
