Mayor Dave Cieslewicz took to his blog and released a statement Wednesday on the ""challenges"" Madison would face under Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget.
Cieslewicz said the city's first task would be to turn back or modify some parts of Walker's budget through the legislative process.
""We'll work closely with the Madison schools, the county, the UW, MATC and others with our municipal partners from around the state to make this budget better,"" Cieslewicz said in the blog post.
Cieslewicz said he has already reached out to Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Dan Nerad and Madison teachers to work together on the budget.
""We invest in our schools because there's nothing more important to the health of our city than the health of our public schools,"" he said.
Cieslewicz also said he plans to meet with city managers, labor leaders and non-represented employees this week to discuss the budget's effects.
He said Madison's 2012 city budget will be the result of a process in which city officials will work closely with the community.
""Scott Walker continues to push policies that attempt to divide us,"" Cieslewicz said. ""But in the face of these challenges, I will work to bring out community together because we do things differently in Madison.
