Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Tax rate is $21.21 for 2012 budgets.
The City of Waukesha Clerk/Treasurer’s office is sending out 23,620 tax bills to Waukesha property owners today. “The rate per thousand of assessed valuation is $21.21,” states an e-mail from Clerk/Treasurer Tom Neill. “This would result in a net reduction of approximately $52 on a median home valued at $187,300. Payments can be made in person, by mail, or at any Waukesha State Bank location.” This is the tax breakdown: The budget included a message from Mayor Jeff Scrima that also appeared on Waukesha Patch on Tuesday. "Happy families are all alike – they have meaningful work, responsible finances, reliable systems and clear goals," Scrima said. "In the same way, since cities are in some way larger families, happy cities have meaningful …
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Council rejects furloughs from budget and Mayor Jeff Scrima says he won't veto this budget.
The Waukesha Common Council found different areas to cut spending from the city’s 2012 budget Wednesday night and approved a budget that increases taxes by $3.76 for the median home after the mayor vetoed the previous budget that raised taxes 1.44 percent. All city employees were spared from furloughs but with the budget approval came unfunding the fire chief’s position for three months and unfunding two vacant firefighter positions and a detective. Two firefighters will not be hired until March. Fire Chief Allen LaConte is retiring in March, which leaves the fire chief position vacant. The $51,466,874 million tax levy increases by .12 percent, a total of $61,440. The budget was approved on a 12-1 vote. Alderman Eric Payne was the lone …
Budget team identifies ways to reduce spending in 2012 budget in light of mayor's veto. With the new list of spending cuts, city taxes would raise .49 percent.
The Common Council tonight will take up Waukesha Mayor Jeff Scrima’s veto of the 2012 budget and a request that the city implement 11 furlough days for all non-police and fire union employees to achieve a flat tax increase. The budget currently includes a 1.44 percent tax levy increase, which was approved on a 9-6 vote. It takes 10 aldermen to override the mayor’s veto. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 201 Delafield St. However, instead of furloughs, a memo from Interim City Administrator Steve Crandell, Finance Manager Steve Neaman and Vicki Krueger, an accountant with the city, other options are available. “Given the fact that almost 80 percent of the city’s budget is personal services, our professional opinion is that …
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
New Day in Waukesha committee agrees to spend $5,000 to repair former bus shelter, according to newspaper report.
When the Waukesha Common Council cut $5,000 in funding to repair the former bus station pavilion that is home to the Waukesha Farmers’ Market, at least one alderman asked if Mayor Jeff Scrima could find the funding for the repairs from his fund where he designates half his salary. He apparently has found the funding for the repairs to the pavilion from that fund. He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the committee administering the New Day in Waukesha fund agreed to commit the $5,000 to fix the aging structure. The mayor has vetoed the budget, though, because it includes a 1.44 percent tax increase. The meeting on the veto starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Waukesha Common Council will discuss budget during meeting on Wednesday.
Waukesha Mayor Jeff Scrima has decided to veto the 2012 budget that increases taxes by 1.44 percent. The veto meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall. ““The citizens have clearly stated a zero percent increase, period,” Scrima said in an e-mail to Patch. “Six aldermen have stood firm on this and I agree.” The budget passed by the Common Council reduces spending by more than what was originally recommended by the mayor, who supported a $136 garbage fee to create a tax freeze. The council rejected the garbage fee and made further cuts to get the taxes down to a $27.39 increase from 2011 to 2012 for the median home in the city. However, after it became apparent that there would not be support for a $136 garbage fee assessed …
This editorial piece was written by Mayor Jeff Scrima, who is vetoing the 2012 budget approved by the Common Council.
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Friday, November 25, 2011
We have all known someone with a check that bounced from the bank. Regardless of how much one wants to spend, we all know that checkbooks need to be balanced with sufficient funds. We all know that responsible families balance their budgets and live within their means – this also goes for government balancing their budgets. As Mayor of the City of Waukesha, I stand in solidarity with Alderman White, Alderman Hastings, Alderman Kalblinger, Alderman Payne, Alderman Reiland, and Alderman Skinner, and hereby veto the 2012 Operating Budget. We’re listening and we understand that we need to balance the city budget. We understand what the majority of Waukesha families are experiencing. In this current economy – with losses in retirements and real…
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Mayor Jeff Scrima has until Monday to issue veto notice.
While Waukesha Mayor Jeff Scrima has until Monday to issue veto the budget approved by the Common Council that would raise taxes 1.44 percent, a special meeting has tenatively been scheduled for next week Wednesday. The meeting, if it occurs, would be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 and Scrima e-mailed all Common Council members asking them to save that date. “Our clerk, Tom Neill, has assured us that given this potential meeting, our residents should still receive their tax bills during the week of Dec.12,” Scrima said in the e-mail. “We will confirm this meeting you as soon as possible. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!” The budget passed by the Common Council reduces spending by more than what was originally recommended by the mayor, who …
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
But the committee was split three to two on every issue as the city’s budget advances to Common Council with .48 percent tax increase.
The vacant children’s library manager, city planner and city administrator positions were spared the chopping block from the Finance Committee on Wednesday after a 5-1/2-hour meeting, but two firefighter and one detective positions are being unfunded in the 2012 budget recommendations. The Waukesha Common Council will vote on the Finance Committee’s recommendations on Tuesday night. The Finance already unfunded one patrol officer position during its discussion Monday night. The Finance Committee also voted to enact four furlough days for all city employees except for union police and firefighter employees, which is equal to the 1.5 percent pay increase the city employees would receive in 2012. The tax increase under the committee's budget …
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City of Waukesha
201 Delafield St, Waukesha, WI
/articles/waukesha-committee-recommends-furloughs-delaying-hiring-of-safety-positions
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Mayor Jeff Scrima calls for up to 22 days of furloughs per non-safety employee.
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Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Editor's note: This guest column was written by Mayor Jeff Scrima. 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 …
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City of Waukesha
201 Delafield St, Waukesha, WI
/articles/guest-column-not-too-late-for-tax-freeze-in-waukesha-budget
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Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Next meeting is being held on Wednesday with final budget adoption scheduled for Nov. 22.
The Waukesha Finance Committee made progress on the $2.7 million in cuts it needs to make in order to pass a budget in 2012 without raising taxes by agreeing to recommend that the council cut more than $1.2 million from the budget. The recommendation includes cutting one police officer position and reduces the amount of salt the city will have next winter. The police officer position is currently vacant. The Finance Committee also is recommending cutting the replacement of a police vehicle, making four squad cars that are being cut from this year's budget. Another budget adjustment of about $71,000 was made after the cost estimates for health care and dental premiums originally given to the city were reduced by the insurance provider. The …
43.0149
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City of Waukesha
201 Delafield St, Waukesha, WI
/articles/finance-committee-recommends-cutting-1-police-officer-position
1063004
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Elaine Blonigen
7:48 am on Thursday, December 15, 2011
Thanks to Governor Scott Walker and to think he balanced the budget without raising taxes. Praises to Scott and Merry Christmas to him and his family. more ›