Was council wise to reject referendums?
We sense that most city of Janesville residents feel the same way Councilwoman Deb Dongarra-Adams does. “I can’t afford to pay any more taxes,” she said Monday in all but wrapping up a long debate. The council then voted, 4-3, to reject April referendum ideas.
The referendums would have sought $1.5 million annually for the next three years to fix streets and $1 million annually for three years to maintain public safety. The ideas came from Councilmen Jim Farrell and Sam Liebert. They saw that city spending and revenues don’t jibe, what with state-imposed property tax levies, reduced revenues because of the recession and declining state shared revenues.
Those realities are forcing the city to borrow money just to fix between four and six miles of streets each year, when to keep up with needed repairs would mean redoing 14 miles annually.
Farrell and Liebert, however, could only get Councilman Russ Steeber to agree with them. Kathy Voskuil, Matt Kealy and DuWayne Severson joined Dongarra-Adams in voting “no.”
Do you agree with this decision? What, absent referendums to spend more money, can be done to better balance the city’s books?
We’ll share our perspectives in our editorial Wednesday.
Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or gpeck@gazettextra.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook
Jan 17, 2013 at 5:27 a.m.
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Adding this comment after the Editorial deadline, but just wondering...
Why not add a non-binding, "advisory" referendum in order to see what the general feeling of the voters is? Results of such a referendum would help council members in future consideration.
I'm out of town on vacation so don't know for sure, but did the Council even consider a non-binding referenda? Or same old, same old refusal to think outside the box?
Jan 17, 2013 at 1:50 a.m.
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li713 is exactly right. It would be disingenuous for the council to ask us to approve additional taxes for basic things like street repairs - especially considering how badly we are already overtaxed at every level.
Jan 17, 2013 at 12:09 a.m.
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The Janesville City Council - "wise"?
"Shirley" you jest!
Jan 16, 2013 at 11:45 p.m.
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li713 is absolutely correct on this issue.
Are you listening City council and City Manager?
Sadly...probably not.
Jan 16, 2013 at 10:28 a.m.
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Should have gone to a referendum.Stop using the excuse that times are tough and $$ is tight.Take a look at the bridges that are almost unrepairable.Had the city decided to take care of them 10 years ago we wouldn't be in this shape now.It is also important to add more police and firemen to this city.Times are changing around us...but always seem to stay the same for Janesville not wanting to move forward. JMO
Jan 16, 2013 at 7:06 a.m.
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Rejecting another tax hike is one of the very rare good decisions the council has made in a long, long time..
Jan 16, 2013 at 6:33 a.m.
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I believe we need to get city hall under control. The ice areana should have been closed, that money could have repaired some roads.
Jan 15, 2013 at 4:43 p.m.
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My opinion on the matter is that if the city wants more money, they needs to start by paying for necessities like POLICE, FIRE, and ROADS with the taxes we already pay. Then, come back and ask for a referendum for all the other stuff and see how the taxpayers feel about that. I think they were absolutely right to vote no on this issue. Labeling this referendum with "Public Safety" and making it about funding for really important issues was just a ploy to not have to address all the non-necessities they're wasting our taxes on. Get the spending in check, start really defining necessities and luxuries (was spending millions on a new trash system really a necessity when we apparently can't afford to pay for police, fire, and roads?), make the most of the taxes you're already collecting, THEN come ask us for more money.
Jan 15, 2013 at 4:37 p.m.
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After seeing how the city council worked to destroy the intent of the governor's property tax relief program with their non-property tax service fees, I vowed to vote against all referendums in the future regarding money.
Jan 15, 2013 at 3:26 p.m.
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No in this case the Council missed the boat here. Now instead of seeing what the voting (and tax paying) public wants to see done, we the people will be forced to accept what ever cuts or increases the Council feels is "right". Not what the people ( who elected them to serve US, not the other way around) are willing to pay - or not pay. They missed a great opportunity here to be held blameless. "Hey that what you voted for - don't blame us"
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