MONROE - The City of Monroe Common Council amended the 2013 budget, as presented by the Finance and Taxation Committee Tuesday, Nov. 20, to restore $28,670 in funding to the Green County Development Corporation.
The move brings the city's tax levy to $6.50 million, just $434 shy of the 2012 levy.
The expected city tax rate for 2013 is about $9.66 per $1,000 of property value, according to City Administrator Phil Rath. This does not include the Tax Increment Districts.
This means the owner of a $100,000 home will pay about $966 in city taxes, and the owner of a $150,000 home will pay about $1,449.
The Finance and Taxation Committee had cut all funding to GCDC in its proposed 2013 budget, which would have resulted in a tax levy of $6.134 million - down just one-quarter of a percent from $6.150 million in 2012.
But members of the GCDC board and GCDC executive administrator Anna Schramke appealed to the council to restore their funding, first with a letter dated Nov. 16 to Mayor Bill Ross and city aldermen, and then again in person Tuesday at the council meeting.
Mike Sanders, spokesman for GCDC, asked the council to look at the funding as an investment, not just in Monroe, but also in the county. He said GCDC's focus is on strengthening Green County, communities in Green County and economic development throughout the region.
"Without Monroe's investment, the future of GCDC and the regional economic development is at stake," he said. "Without 20 percent of our funding (which Monroe provides), it's difficult to see how we're going to do the work we have been."
Sanders said the county provides 39 percent of GCDC's funding, private investments make up 25 percent, Monroe provides 19 percent and the remaining is from other municipalities in the county.
Along with the request to restore funding, the board also made commitments to the city in an action plan: A final draft of GCDC's strategic plan will be presented to the city for input. GCDC will work with the city to develop a common agreement on key performance objectives for the organization. GCDC will make progress reports to the city on a quarterly basis or other schedule that the city finds appropriate. During the next 120 days, GCDC will perform an internal review of its structure, resources and processes to assure it is effective and appropriate for meeting the agreed upon key performance objectives.
Alderman Louis Armstrong made the motion to amend the budget to include $28,670 to GCDC. Part of the funding would come from removing the extra $10,000 the city budgeted for the Monroe Chamber of Commerce above what the Chamber requested, and removing $3,000 from the parking ramp repair and maintenance funds.
The remaining $15,670 goes on the tax levy.
Alderman Reid Stangel seconded the motion, which passed on a vote of 6 to 2. Jan Lefevre and Tyler Schultz voted against.
The council also voted Tuesday to approve a total of $19.2 million in appropriations.
Of that total amount, public utilities will use $5.1 million, but receives their funding through user fees. Tax increment districts, which are expected to fund their own debt, will spend $1.14 million next year.
Public safety is budgeting for $3.63 million; public works budgeted $2.74 million; general government budgeted $1.59 million; and culture and recreation budgeted $1.2 million.
The city's capital account is at $1.99 million and debt service is at $1.14 million. Capital and debt service are not included in calculating the state mandated levy limits.
The city's operating expenses comes to $9.93 million, about $400,000, or 3.9 percent, less than the $10.3 million budgeted in 2012. The city is anticipating about $9.6 million in revenues, about 3.2 percent less than last year.
The move brings the city's tax levy to $6.50 million, just $434 shy of the 2012 levy.
The expected city tax rate for 2013 is about $9.66 per $1,000 of property value, according to City Administrator Phil Rath. This does not include the Tax Increment Districts.
This means the owner of a $100,000 home will pay about $966 in city taxes, and the owner of a $150,000 home will pay about $1,449.
The Finance and Taxation Committee had cut all funding to GCDC in its proposed 2013 budget, which would have resulted in a tax levy of $6.134 million - down just one-quarter of a percent from $6.150 million in 2012.
But members of the GCDC board and GCDC executive administrator Anna Schramke appealed to the council to restore their funding, first with a letter dated Nov. 16 to Mayor Bill Ross and city aldermen, and then again in person Tuesday at the council meeting.
Mike Sanders, spokesman for GCDC, asked the council to look at the funding as an investment, not just in Monroe, but also in the county. He said GCDC's focus is on strengthening Green County, communities in Green County and economic development throughout the region.
"Without Monroe's investment, the future of GCDC and the regional economic development is at stake," he said. "Without 20 percent of our funding (which Monroe provides), it's difficult to see how we're going to do the work we have been."
Sanders said the county provides 39 percent of GCDC's funding, private investments make up 25 percent, Monroe provides 19 percent and the remaining is from other municipalities in the county.
Along with the request to restore funding, the board also made commitments to the city in an action plan: A final draft of GCDC's strategic plan will be presented to the city for input. GCDC will work with the city to develop a common agreement on key performance objectives for the organization. GCDC will make progress reports to the city on a quarterly basis or other schedule that the city finds appropriate. During the next 120 days, GCDC will perform an internal review of its structure, resources and processes to assure it is effective and appropriate for meeting the agreed upon key performance objectives.
Alderman Louis Armstrong made the motion to amend the budget to include $28,670 to GCDC. Part of the funding would come from removing the extra $10,000 the city budgeted for the Monroe Chamber of Commerce above what the Chamber requested, and removing $3,000 from the parking ramp repair and maintenance funds.
The remaining $15,670 goes on the tax levy.
Alderman Reid Stangel seconded the motion, which passed on a vote of 6 to 2. Jan Lefevre and Tyler Schultz voted against.
The council also voted Tuesday to approve a total of $19.2 million in appropriations.
Of that total amount, public utilities will use $5.1 million, but receives their funding through user fees. Tax increment districts, which are expected to fund their own debt, will spend $1.14 million next year.
Public safety is budgeting for $3.63 million; public works budgeted $2.74 million; general government budgeted $1.59 million; and culture and recreation budgeted $1.2 million.
The city's capital account is at $1.99 million and debt service is at $1.14 million. Capital and debt service are not included in calculating the state mandated levy limits.
The city's operating expenses comes to $9.93 million, about $400,000, or 3.9 percent, less than the $10.3 million budgeted in 2012. The city is anticipating about $9.6 million in revenues, about 3.2 percent less than last year.