Government Responsibilities and Procedures
A. Local Government Relationships within Dane County [adopted 1972]
Support of:
County responsibility for housing, solid waste, health and multimodal transportation that includes airports
Shared responsibility by county and local units for parks
County responsibility for air pollution while working toward regional and state responsibility
Mandatory procedures for citizen participation at the study, planning, and administrative stages of the above services
[1984-1986 LWVDC Study of Administrative Arrangement of Libraries: no position]
B. Municipal* Budget Procedures [#1-3 adopted 1978; #4-10 adopted 1980]
(* municipal refers to county, town, village or city)
Support of:
Local government adherence to minimum statutory requirements,¹ recognizing that statutory change might be necessary to force compliance with these requirements by municipalities.
¹Statutes mandate that budgets include:
previous year's actual revenues and expenditures
all existing indebtedness
all anticipated revenues
all proposed expenditures
revenues and expenditures for current year (actual figures for at least six months)
listing by fund of all anticipated unexpended or unappropriated balances
budget summary.
In addition, state law requires adequate notice of public hearings and meetings dealing with budgets, and requires that copies of proposed budget details be readily available to citizens prior to budget hearings.
Well-publicized budget hearings using means such as local newspapers, public service announcements on radio and television, and making proposed budgets available in libraries, banks, and other places
Line-item budgeting as basic and necessary for accountability
The inclusion of program information and performance measures in the county and city budgets. Small cities and villages which could generate such information could add it to their budgets.
The use of side-by-side narrative to explain special items, significant increases in expenditure of revenues, new programs, or programs dropped. Such narrative should be used sparingly, with an economy of words, for clarity.
The inclusion of a statement policy by the chief executive outlining the policy goals of the budget. Such a statement is desirable at all levels and is necessary at the city and county levels.
Towns should precede their annual meetings with public hearings prior to the formulation of the budget.
Citizen participation at all levels of the budget-making process, most importantly at the needs assessment level and at public hearings
Inclusion of a detailed account of expenditures of special revenues
Inclusion of a table of contents or index for Dane County and Madison budgets. This is desirable for other units of government if the complexity of the budget warrants it.
C. Finance - Madison [adopted prior to 1972]
Support of:
Improved procedures for budgetary analysis and review of local governments, including the use of program budgeting as a tool in determining costs of alternative means of realizing public goals
Analytical and advisory role of the city Finance Director as distinct from and subordinate to the policy making role of elected officials
D. Mayor - Madison
Support of:
Four-year term for the Mayor of Madison
E. Economic Impacts of Development [adopted May 1987]
Support of:
Compiling economic impact information and preparing an analysis early in the decision-making process for development projects with the potential for significant economic impact in the community or region
League believes that this will lead to better decisions and that the long-term consequences of making development decisions without trustworthy information outweigh the cost of such compilation and analysis.
When economic impact analysis is undertaken, it is highly important to determine both who benefits from and who pays for a project. The analysis should include long-term effects on revenue and expenses for municipalities as well as on revenue for other government units (e.g. school and VTAE districts, counties). Immediate effects on revenue and expenses, while not a high priority, are also important.
The economic impact analysis should also include information about property value trends.
An economic impact analysis should include an analysis of changes in employment that can be expected from the project, such as the net number of jobs created or lost (long/short-term, skilled/unskilled) and a documented need for jobs with differing skill levels within the community.
Economic impact analysis should include an analysis of the influence of the development project on the demand for housing, and information on the existing low/medium/high income housing mix, the single and multiple family dwelling inventory, and trends in achieving mixed-housing neighborhoods
Recent LWVDC Statements, Studies, and Position Updates
Oral testimony to the Dane County Board of Supervisors Executive Committee and Dane County Board of Supervisors on Resolution 138: Amending The Capital Budget To Fund A Concept Plan For A Secure County Elections Facility. Wendy Hathaway testified for information only on behalf of LWVDC on August 18, 2022.
Oral testimony during the Wisconsin Legislature joint session for a public hearing on its congressional and legislative redistricting maps. Joan Schwarz testified on behalf of LWVDC in opposition, October 28, 2021
Statement made virtually to the first meeting of the City of Madison Ad Hoc Redistricting Committee in support of expediting the timeline for drawing ward and district maps. August 12, 2021 (Watch the meeting here. Caryl Terrell makes the statement at 13:50 in.)
Email to City of Madison Mayor, Common Council & Sustainable Madison Committee in support of SMC PFAS Recommendations. May 7, 2021
Oral statement to WI Supreme Court in opposition to rule change petition 20-03; the proposal would give the WI Supreme Court original jurisdiction in all redistricting litigation January 14, 2021 (Watch the proceedings on Wisconsin Eye. The hearing on this petition begins at 32:30 on the recording. Joan Schwarz, attorney, testified against the rule change on behalf of LWVDC. She testifies at 2:11:50 on the recording.)
Email to Fitchburg Council in support of additional polling site September 3, 2020 (Updated September 17, 2020)
Email to Dane County Clerk requesting that all municipalities be provided with masks to offer voters who come to a polling place without a mask. August 5, 2020
Email to Dane County Personnel and Finance Committee urging support of resolution to fund voter outreach to address Covid-19 voting barriers July 6, 2020 (Also sent to full County Board on July 7, 2020)
Email to Dane County Board Chair and Executive requesting video access to virtual meetings for members of the public June 29, 2020
Email to Madison Mayor requesting video access to virtual meetings for members of the public June 23, 2020
Request to Madison Common Council to support Madison City Clerk’s Budget request for 2020 October 17, 2019
Request that Mayor Rhodes-Conway support Madison City Clerk’s budget request for 2020 May 7, 2019
Statement to Sun Prairie Committee of the Whole supporting budget amendment to improve elections February 6, 2019
Statement to Wisconsin Legislature Joint Committee on Finance opposing extraordinary session legislation December 3, 2018
Statement to the Dane County Board Budget Hearing in support of efforts at making engaging citizens in public meetings September 13, 2018
Letter to US DoT in support of Madison's civil rights complaint January 10, 2018
Statement at press conference in support of Madison's civil rights complaint against WisDOT for DMV move January 4, 2018
Response from Judge Peterson December 1, 2017
Letter to Judge James Peterson about voter photo ID concerns November 28, 2017
Message sent to County Board President Sharon Corrigan and Supervisor Heidi Wegleitner (among others) as part of an email discussion about greater public access to county committee deliberations November 14, 2017
Letter to members of the Personnel and Finance Committee re funding for voter ID education November 14, 2017
Correspondence with UW–Madison Chancellor's Office regarding access to student voter IDs July 25–November 9, 2017
Statement to the Dane County Board in support of temporary suspension of Wisconsin's voter ID law October 26, 2017
Statement to the Dane County Board in support of recording all meetings of standing committees October 24, 2017
Request for Madison Common Council to sponsor a budget amendment for bus service to new DMV location October 17, 2017
Request that Mayor Soglin ensure convenient bus service to DMV at new Excelsior Drive location September 18, 2017
Request that Mayor Soglin adequately fund the Madison City Clerk's Office August 1, 2017
Request that Mayor Soglin adequately fund the Madison City Clerk's Office August 1, 2016
Statement to the Dane County Board in support of the Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission September, 2016
Statement to the Dane County Board in support of Resolution 32 ALLOWING HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO USE COUNTY DESIGNATED ADDRESSES FOR THE PURPOSES OF RECEIVING AN ID. June, 2016 (Based on national position on Voting Rights.)
Testimony at Hearing of Dane County Redistricting Subcommittee November, 2015 (Based on state positions on Apportionment.)
Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) January, 2005