Dane County Executive Parisi Signs 2016 Budget: Blueprint for Opportunity
November 24, 2015
Stephanie Miller, 608-267-8823
County Executive
MADISON- Today, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi signed his 2016 budget: A Blueprint for Opportunity. The budget totals just over $572 million in operating funds; $40 million in capital funds. Dane County’s reserve fund totals $25 million, built up from zero when he took office, improving the county’s financial standing for the future. The County Executive announced recently the County has re-established its AAA bond rating. This was done through strict budgeting standards, efficiencies, partnerships and innovation.
“From unprecedented new resources for mental health services in our schools and communities, to innovative new efforts to clean our lakes and protect our natural resources and quality of life, along with a renewed focus on helping our young people succeed, our 2016 budget is a reflection of who we are in Dane County,” said Dane County Executive Joe Parisi.
“While we come from many different communities, we are all part of one greater community with much in common. When we work together, utilizing all the strengths of our many perspectives and experiences, there is no challenge we cannot meet. So today as I sign the 2016 Dane County Budget, I’d like to thank everyone who works so hard to make our home such a special place.”
The 2016 county budget is built on preserving what is important to Dane County residents. It includes:
--focus on partnering to increase access to critical services and solve problems
--significant efforts to enhance mental health services for everyone in Dane County
-- continuing to invest in the Access to Opportunity Initiative to break down barriers to success
--a continued focus on protecting our lakes and natural resources
--strong investments in services for children, families, seniors and our community members with developmental disabilities and mental illness.
Highlights and new programs are highlighted in the County Executive’s budget memo, including:
- $15,000 for Vets Ride with Pride
- $25,000 for Planned Parenthood to provide health services
- $50,000 for Joining Forces for Families Eviction Prevention
- $25,000 Centro Hispano outreach – partnership
- $252,000 School Based Mental Health Teams – partnership
- $82,000 Mobile Community Crisis Mental Health Teams to assist police
- $72,500 Mental Health Broker
- $25,000 Mental Health housing position – partnership
- $62,500 Early Childhood Zones Coordinator/Eviction Prevention - partnership
- $44,600 Re-Entry Team Coordinator
- $500,000 Re-Entry Housing
- $40,000 Family Shelter Expansion – Salvation Army
- $2,750,000 Affordable Housing Developments
- $750,000 Day resource center improvements - renovations
- $100,000 Homeless Day Shelter operations
- $30,000 Sirens for low income neighborhoods
- $144,000 Clean beach treatments
- $1.4 million Storm water controls
- $500,000 for Lake Clean-Up Phosphorus Elimination System
- $1.7 million for six new Compressed Natural Gas Snowplows
- $364,000 New Countywide Recycling Stations
- $500,000 for Zoo Bathrooms, Improvements
- New Zookeeper, from revenue generated from new Glacier Grille/Arctic Passage
- $415,000 Solar investment
The budget increases taxes on the average Madison home (valued at nearly $246,000) by around $34. County taxes represent about 15% of an individual’s total property tax bill. The adopted sales tax is $56,716,055 with a levy increase (2016 budget over 2015 budget) of 4.74%.
For more information on the budget go to: https://www.countyofdane.com/exec/budget.aspx