This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
Hey Franklin, how about a property tax freeze?
I think that’s a marvelous idea. A 0% tax increase for the city of
Before some of you start hooting and howling that there is NO WAY the city of Franklin could POSSIBLY FUNCTION without more money coming in, let me suggest that the overwhelming majority of Franklin families that were not fortunate enough to get any salary increase this year or next year managed to and will survive. The government they pay the bills to should be expected to do the same.
Can it be done? Of course it can be done. Do the city powers have the will to do it? That’s the key question.
Mayor Tom Taylor got the budget process off to a very good start with a highly commendable budget with a 2.9% property tax levy. That’s a fiscally responsible document. Could it be better? Could it be improved? You bet.
Follow along as I’m about to toss around a lot of numbers.
Mayor Taylor’s hold the line budget increased the levy by $584,000. Could the city find a way to trim $584,000 to get us to a property tax freeze? In no particular order, the city could make the following cuts:
Large area mower: $47,000
4 x 4 pickup w/snow plow: $32,000
Replace truck #737: $148,000
Replace truck #735: $138,000
Replace ambulance 219: $145,000
Replace car 220: $51,000
My personal favorite: Severe WX alert system, a totally unnecessary expenditure: $150,000
These cuts from the proposed 2010 budget add up to: $711,000. That gets you to the $584,000 needed for a property tax freeze and then some. You now have $127,000 to play with.
That money could be used to fund the non-funded positions of two police officers and one firefighter that would cost $118, 600 and you still have money saved.
If only it were that simple. The mayor’s budget was proposed before the Common Council approved spending $307,000 for improvements, now referred to as “sidewalks” at
One could certainly make an argument that restoring the unfunded positions of the two police officers and the firefighter would go much further to enhance public safety than the
“I asked Franklin Police Chief Richard Oliva for the most recent accident statistics for the area near
2005: 2
2006: 1
2007: 2
2008: 1
2009: 2
None of the accidents, thank goodness were fatal.
With the thousands of kids and adults that pass by that area in any given week, those numbers, when put into the proper perspective are amazing.”
I don’t think anyone is opposed to the “sidewalks” per se. The cost at this particular time….that’s the problem.
Mayor Taylor also took $700,000 from the city's rainy day fund to help balance the budget. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to use that money in other areas?
The point is the city has options. A property tax freeze, when proposed by state lawmakers years ago was extremely popular with just about everyone except the governor, legislative Democrats, and those local officials who love to tax and spend. The hard-working folks that pay the bills loved it.
A property tax freeze is within our power to attain. Is there the willpower at City Hall?
Here’s the likely scenario. Just like last year, the Finance Committee is rubber-stamping the Mayor’s budget. The Common Council, with the exception of a vote or two will do the same.
But I bet a ton of taxpayers in our city would be thrilled with a freeze.
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