City officials will present recently signed amendments to Mayor Paul Soglin’s proposed 2013 city budget as a single package, meaning all amendments included in the bundle must be either approved or rejected as a whole when the Madison Common Council votes on the budgets next week.
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said the package of amendments would make changes to both the capital and operating budgets, including granting $900,000 in additional funding to the Overture Center for the Arts and eliminating an increase in bus fares the budget proposes.
These changes, which Resnick said are two major priorities for council members, would be possible after cutting funds from other areas of the budget, such as the proposed expansion of bus service routes.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said the increase in metro cash fare would not immediately affect the Associate Students of Madison bus pass, which is funded by student segregated fees due to a contract ASM currently holds with the city, but after the contract expires those rates would also rise.
“One reason why I’m opposed to raising bus fares, among many, is that I am concerned about how an increase would affect student bus pass costs in the near future,” Verveer said.
Additionally, he said Soglin “did a very good job” with the 2013 budget, but the majority of city Council members oppose specific proposals such as the increase in bus fare and decrease in funding for the Overture Center.
However, Resnick said the mayor will likely be “adamantly against” a budget that includes amendments changing those proposals, and would likely veto the entire budget if city Council votes in favor of the amendments.
“The mayor has indicated that he will not support the packet, period,” Resnick said.
If the budget is vetoed, Council would call an emergency meeting to vote on overriding the veto, which requires a two-thirds majority of council members.
Madison Common Council will vote on approval of the capital budget at its meeting Nov. 13 and the operating budget, which includes the Overture Center funding and bus fare increase, Nov. 14.
