MONROE - The City of Monroe 2012 budget took the hard road to passage Tuesday night.
Members of the Common Council passed the budget by a narrow 6 to 4 vote, the same margin the 2011 budget received last year.
Voting against the budget were Michael Boyce, Sara Conway, Thurston Hanson and Tyler Schultz.
Two aldermen attempted to make amendments to the budget as presented.
Alderman Jan Lefevre motioned for funds designated to Green County Economic Development Corporation to be divided into two payments, with half, about $14,300, paid out immediately and the remaining half paid out after six months following a review of the results of the organization's activities.
Seconded by Brooke Baumann, the motion failed, 4 to 6, with Lefevre, Conway, Bauman and Schultz voting in favor.
Alderman Reid Stangel made a Power Point presentation, trying to convince fellow council members of the advantages of increasing the levy by $56,800, or .924 percent of the 2011 levy limit, permitted by state law for net new construction.
The extra amount levied would add about $4 to the taxes on a $100,000 house, he said. Stangel noted the money could be used in 2012 for planned expenses, such as streets and the swimming pool, or during for unexpected expenses, such as large snow falls, old tree removals or storm damage.
His motion, seconded by Charles Koch, failed also 4 to 6, with Bauman and Neal Hunter joining Stangel and Koch in favor.
Two council members, Boyce and Hanson, voted against the appropriations resolution, about $19.19 million, allowing the city to pay for expenses as itemized in departmental budgets, debt service and capital accounts.
City utilities' budgets make up about $5.3 million of the appropriations, and Tax Increment Districts command about $1.4 million. Capital accounts require about $2.4 million; public safety, about $3.7 million; and public works, about $2.9 million. General government will use $1.5 million.
Boyce and Hanson also voted against levying the $6.15 million in taxes needed to pay for the 2012 budget.
The city council also approved the special assessment levied for the Business Improvement District (BID) Tuesday.
The BID operating plan calls for $32,000 in assessments for property owners in the downtown business district. Hanson, Conway and Schultz voted against the measure.
The city's tax rate, reported as a dollar amount per $1,000 of property value, was not yet available. City Treasure Cathy Maurer said some state-supplied equity values had not yet arrived.
Members of the Common Council passed the budget by a narrow 6 to 4 vote, the same margin the 2011 budget received last year.
Voting against the budget were Michael Boyce, Sara Conway, Thurston Hanson and Tyler Schultz.
Two aldermen attempted to make amendments to the budget as presented.
Alderman Jan Lefevre motioned for funds designated to Green County Economic Development Corporation to be divided into two payments, with half, about $14,300, paid out immediately and the remaining half paid out after six months following a review of the results of the organization's activities.
Seconded by Brooke Baumann, the motion failed, 4 to 6, with Lefevre, Conway, Bauman and Schultz voting in favor.
Alderman Reid Stangel made a Power Point presentation, trying to convince fellow council members of the advantages of increasing the levy by $56,800, or .924 percent of the 2011 levy limit, permitted by state law for net new construction.
The extra amount levied would add about $4 to the taxes on a $100,000 house, he said. Stangel noted the money could be used in 2012 for planned expenses, such as streets and the swimming pool, or during for unexpected expenses, such as large snow falls, old tree removals or storm damage.
His motion, seconded by Charles Koch, failed also 4 to 6, with Bauman and Neal Hunter joining Stangel and Koch in favor.
Two council members, Boyce and Hanson, voted against the appropriations resolution, about $19.19 million, allowing the city to pay for expenses as itemized in departmental budgets, debt service and capital accounts.
City utilities' budgets make up about $5.3 million of the appropriations, and Tax Increment Districts command about $1.4 million. Capital accounts require about $2.4 million; public safety, about $3.7 million; and public works, about $2.9 million. General government will use $1.5 million.
Boyce and Hanson also voted against levying the $6.15 million in taxes needed to pay for the 2012 budget.
The city council also approved the special assessment levied for the Business Improvement District (BID) Tuesday.
The BID operating plan calls for $32,000 in assessments for property owners in the downtown business district. Hanson, Conway and Schultz voted against the measure.
The city's tax rate, reported as a dollar amount per $1,000 of property value, was not yet available. City Treasure Cathy Maurer said some state-supplied equity values had not yet arrived.