$21 a year is a lot of money? Gambling, cell phone bill, smoking, drinking. What does that cost a year? I bet more than $21.

Like I said, the people who are complaining about $21, are the first ones off to the casino on the bus trip.

Mow an extra lawn, wash your neighbors car. If each of you come up with that extra $21, somebody might be able to keep their job at the city.

ATTEND your council meetings and be heard! Check out the city website and see when the next meeting is.

Why are we spending a million dollars on a baseball field????? Yes I understand that $21 is a lot to people on fixed income BUT you know ahead of time so you can save a couple dollars a week until you get the extra money you need. Or cash in that change jar! I bet that has enough right there. I'm sick of all political people spending OUR money in stupid places!!!! I'm just sick of it. But that is just my opinion!

I read what everyone is saying. I really don't think that we need to do any of these extra things. We really don't need to have a tunnel or children museum or a baseball park.We should take care of the things that need to be fixed first then work on those things at a later and time.

My taxes are high enough. I'm tired of seeing Janesville spend our money like we're all rolling in it. Someone needs to tell these guys a lot of people in this town, and in this county have lost their jobs and maybe we should just tighten up our belts a bit until times get better. Now I hear we're building a parking lot downtown. Do we really need to do that now?

Though he may support the projects now and maybe reconsider his decision at a later time, At least he's holding firm on any tax increase during these turbulent times.

I find it amusing that Brunner supports the bike tunnel and the Children's Museum. While we may not see an increase in taxes this year because of projects such as these, the increases are on their way. Brunner is not the fiscal conservative that this article makes him out to be.

Localboy1968, When every dollar counts on my income, It can make the difference between paying a bill and getting food. Maybe you can afford it, But for some like me who work for the wages we make, It can make a BIG difference. I respect your views and I hope you respect mine.

It is nice to see that no one is complaining about the city spending 1.5 million on the new baseball park. Yet you are complaining that it will cost you 21.23 for the cost of maintaining Janesville operation. By that I mean streets, sewer, police, fire and all the rest of the expenses you just take for granite. So I can assume that if the city puts money into a skate park for the kids and young adults you will not complain. Janesville is the only city in the area that does not have a park for these kids and young adults. So that means Janesville will be able to have a skate park. You just made thousands of young people happy. They have been waiting a long time for this to happen.

hay remember Mr.steeber is a sheriff deputy and is payed by us, and his job is not going away unlike alot of other people in town, so i'm sure he will not mind paying the extra money for the complex, O and the $21.23 may not seem much to some of you but to a retired person on a fixed income it is a lot

Ernie - by the way; I am sure that $21.23 is really going to sink you. It could be the difference of somebody (city employee) losing their job. Think about that.

Ernie - my point is, the same vocal minority that complains about the city taxes, are the same who say they can't afford it. The very next day, they are off to the casino.

You automatically assume your taxes are going to go up around 3% every year, unless the tax levy is being supported by new growth, which will help keep it down.

So, what I was saying is, if the tax is going up 3%, that is normal. If you want it to be the same or less, with the current economy stagnet, something will be cut. And when the cuts come, some other group will be this blog complaining how the city doesn't care about them, and they are tax payers, why can't they keep thier program, blah, blah, blah, and so on. You can't win either way. So plan for the increase like the rest of us do.

Localboy1968, Obviously you have been living "high on the hog" way to long. Time for you to come down to reality here. I work hard to support my family, I pay my taxes, and save when I can for things that need to be saved for. You may be from another generation but don't go knocking those of us who work hard, Pay our taxes, And follow the rules by saying we don't plan ahead. We do. maybe it's 1968 to you and that's fine and dandy but the reality here is that this is 2008. Thats a 40 year difference. And when taxes keep going up, Money is needlessly spent, And economic times are bad, It's time for city government to hold the line like the average Joe and Judy the wage earner does. You may not agree with those of us that think otherwise and that's fine, your entitled to your view. Just as we may not agree with you, We are entitled to our views. But the times have changed and fiscal restraint is needed. BTW, Who is going to make up the difference in tax revenue to pay for these increases when people lose their jobs, Houses are forclosed on, People move away, Businesses close? Glad you have money to burn. Maybe you can afford to but not most of us.

I sure am glad we got those custom stamped manhole covers.

So let me get this straight. If the city quoted me 500.00 to put in my sidewalk then billed me 1,000.00 in error I don't have to pay the additional 500.00 but my neighbor and other tax payers do???? WHAT..... Thanks, Janesville for your incompentent billing people. Take it out of the salary you would have paid Schieffer had he stayed since we have not had a city manager since Spetember.

Just remember, it is Jay's job to make sure we don't have any decline in services, and his first attempt at the budget proposal should define that. It is only when he submits it to the council , and they reject it, it means that somebody or group is going to get cut out, and maybe even some employees will get cut/loose their jobs.

When the final cuts come, you will hear the people scream, because some senior, or BMX group will hollar because it was their portion of the budget that was cut. Somebody has to suffer, and who will it be? That is what budget cuts mean George.

By the way, if you are somebody who is on a fixed income (aren't we all?) you are from a generation that had the most prosperous period in history, and if you are not in financial position to shoulder 3% increase every year, you didn't plan right, or live right.

A well deserved "thank you" to Mr Brunner to stand up to a "big spending" budget by the interim city manager. And, Mr Steeber is quite frankly out of his mind thinking the tax payer can carry the burden of "giving" money in the millions away during these hard pressed economic times. Time for some serious changes when his term is up.