Mayor Paul Soglin introduced his $266.4 million 2013 City of Madison operating budget Monday, which proposes decreasing the Overture Center’s requested funding by $1 million.
After months of debates over funding in 2011, the Overture Center began operating Jan. 1, 2012, as a private, non-profit group instead of acting as a city-run organization as it had in previous years.
Although Soglin granted $1.85 million to the Overture in 2012, his 2013 budget only dedicates $850,000.
The Overture has requested $2 million from the city for the past two years but has not received that amount, according to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4.
Overture spokesperson Robert Chappell said he is disappointed with the proposed funding the city is willing to provide.
“We understand this is a long process,” Chappel said. “Our executive team and our board of directors will be working closely with the council and the mayor's orifice to clarify a solution is sustainable.”
Chappell said it is too early in the budgeting process to speculate how the proposed budget, if passed as is, will affect the Overture.
Verveer, an Overture Center Foundation board member, said the proposed $850,000 is dramatically different than what Overture requested.
“Restoring at least some of Overture’s current grant will be a priority for me in the budget process,” Verveer said.
The mayor’s proposed budget includes $50,000 to fund additional officers in the downtown area on weekend nights and reallocated an additional $50,000 from the Downtown Safety Initiative toward city-wide safety programs.
But the majority of the reallocated DSI funds will go toward the downtown, according to Verveer.
Verveer said retaining funding for greater police presence in the downtown area is critical, especially in the wake of the violence on University Avenue this past summer, including a shooting that left three injured.
Soglin said he did not allocate a half a million dollars in the proposed budget, which Common Council members can vote to use toward funding groups like Overture or lowering property taxes, according to Soglin.
Madison residents can also look forward to three music programs in Madison, which Soglin said could be a financial advantage to the city in terms of attracting new residents and tourists.
These musical events include a summer solstice music festival, called Make Madison Music, Dane Dances, a music video competition and planning money for a new music festival.
The city’s financial committee will review the operating budget before it goes before city Council in mid-November.
Leo Rudberg contributed to this article.
