Dane County Executive Falk Releases Impacts of State and Federal Budget

February 24, 2005
Lesley Sillaman, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 669-5606

Madison – Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk today released a memorandum to the Dane County Board of Supervisors detailing the estimated impacts of the proposed state and federal budgets on Dane County. “With good fiscal management and planning, we will be able to continue to deliver necessary services this year,” said Falk. “Next year, the cuts in the federal budget will present significant challenges.” Falk noted the most significant difficulty next year with the state budget is the proposed increased rates for placing juveniles in state correctional facilities, an increase that will add additional costs to the County of about $546,000. Excluding the proposed cuts to the W-2 program, which the County is not required to administer, the total net impact of the state budget cuts to the County will be about $548,000. Falk also reiterated her support for the Governor’s tax freeze proposal, saying the freeze “establishes the state as our partner in our attempt to strictly limit any increase in property taxes.” Turning to the federal budget, the major difficulty is the elimination of so-called Byrne funds that would result in cuts to the District Attorney and Sheriff, totaling around $543,000. President Bush also proposes elimination of the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), which would mean more than $1 million in losses to Dane County communities. Finally, proposed changes to the Medical Assistance (MA) programs could lead to major losses of human services funding. The proposed federal cuts total about $3.7 million, and could mean delays in the new runway at the airport. Expanded details of the budgets, and what they mean to Dane County, are included in the attached memorandum and charts, issued February 24, 2005 to the Dane County Board of Supervisors. “Despite the significant challenge from both the federal and state budgets, we will continue to work with the County Board to sustain services and control property taxes,” said Falk. ###