Guest Column: Not Too Late for Tax Freeze in Waukesha Budget

Editor's note: This guest column was written by

As elected officials we must be ever mindful of whom we work for. In Waukesha, the Common Council and Mayor work for 70,000 residents including 25,000 taxpaying households. We understand that our families have been hit hard by the economy. With losses in the stock market, losses in property values and losses in employment, now is not the time for us to increase taxes.

While progress has been made by our Finance Committee in reducing city spending, we are still approximately $1.5 million short of filling our gap. If we, as your elected officials do not solve this problem, all of our 25,000 taxpaying households will experience a tax increase in 2012.

So what can we do about it? First of all, we must face reality. Now is not the time for generalities, distractions or personal attacks. We are all in this together, as taxpaying families, elected officials and city staff, and we must move forward. We must be respectful of each other while recognizing the complexity and emotions involved with this issue.

Specifically, we can meet our goal of a zero percent levy and no tax increase by considering the solutions, which while not perfect, will have the least overall impact. Remember that 80 percent of our city budget is employee costs, and that we have already reduced funding to infrastructure and equipment.

Therefore, the prudent course of action would be to leave a few vacant positions unfilled and/or require furlough days of employees. Leaving three positions unfilled in the city garage and two positions unfilled in Park and Recreation would save over $283,000. These reductions are less than 1 percent of our entire workforce.

In addition, requiring 18 furlough days of all employees (other than police and fire because of public safety) would save over $1.2 million, completing filling our budget gap and meeting our goal of not increasing taxes. Or, the Common Council may decide to fill all vacant positions and use furlough days as the entire solution. In that case, a total of 22 furlough days would be required. The average employee has 260 scheduled work days per year.

Note that furloughs would be above and beyond paid vacation days, would be limited to one furlough day per week for the required duration, and would be scheduled during departmental non-peak service times of the year.

The largest benefits to the solutions above include no tax increases and that no current city employee would be laid off. In addition, all city employees would be able to keep their scheduled salary increases in 2012, as well as their health care and retirement packages.

Moreover, under recently passed Wisconsin legislation (AB 319) the Common Council now has the time of three full months to clarify and discuss with employees potential employee compromises, without modifying the existing employee contracts. And if the employees decide to compromise within the next 3 months, we may be able to fill remaining vacant positions and/or remove furlough days.

While those who want to raise taxes will attack the past and say it’s too late to balance our budget, the solutions presented above were presented to the Common Council two weeks ago, on Nov. 2, and the Council still has another week yet before the final vote.

As taxpaying residents and households, ask yourself, have you lost money in the stock market? Have you experienced a loss in your property value? Have you or someone you know been unemployed or on a fixed income? Have you had to be innovative and balance your budget? Do you deserve elected officials that have the fortitude to balance the city budget in these times and not raise taxes? Are your elected officials listening?

To move the city forward into a future of stability, you are encouraged to contact your Alderman and the Mayor’s office to provide feedback and share your thoughts before the budget approval meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 22, by calling 262-524-3700 or for our e-mail addresses visit: www.ci.waukesha.wi.us