I went there for the Vehicle Registration Fee discussion . . . but got an extra gem while Supervisors where shifting agendas as they tried to be at several meetings at once . . .
AMENDMENT – BUS SHELTER AT THE AIRPORT
This was taken out of order because Bayrd had to go to another meeting.
She has an amendment for $15,000 to have the Airport pay for a Madison Metro bus stop.
Bayrd says there is a bus stop there. The shelter is only for the hotels, not Madison Metro. The problem is that the shelter is not handicap accessible and the Madison Metro buses can’t be there when the hotel shuttles are there. And, Madison Metro can’t use a non-accessible bus stop. Metro would like to keep the bus shelter where it is. A shelter can cost $7,000 – 15,000. The $15K is the high end but if it is in that range they can negotiate a price. The expenditures for this would come out of the airport budget. They know about it and they are ok with it. They would like to figure out how to make it work, but they haven’t figured it out.
Martz asks why is this the county’s responsibility, not the city? Bayrd explains that it is county property and the policy of Metro is that they will provide the buses, not the shelters. Opitz says that is their policy, Middleton has to pay for their shelters.
They ask her about the price.
Wiggie [Note: He was sure to point out to me that I’ve been spelling his name wrong. Wiggy is someone who lives in Janesville. So noted.]
Wiggie asks it they pay for the Metro service. Bayrd doesn’t know but a combination of Veldran, Opitz and Bayrd guess they don’t. Veldran says that we couldn’t pay for ground transportation from the airport budget when they talked about express busses.
Wiggie asks what the numbers are, how many people are riding the bus. Veldran says they added a second route out there. They both go to the North Transfer point. Veldran says that the importance is the size of the shelter if we want to encourage people to use it, especially because the buses don’t come on a regular basis. You will be waiting 20 – 30 minutes.
Bayrd says that they have taken the bus and its never packed and never empty, anecdotally. She notes that she is married to a Madison Metro Planner that was involved with this project and wanted to disclose that.
Schmidt says if they find a design that is less than 15,000 is that ok? Bayrd says yes, she doesn’t want to tell them what kind of shelter they should get.
Opitz says they have a look and design at the airport and they might want to have that flexibility to make it look consistent and it is their funds, he doesn’t have a problem with that.
Wiggie makes an amendment that they have to meet all ADA federal and state stnadards.
Veldran asks if the accessibility problem is about getting to the stop or the stop itself. Bayrd says it is a separate issue, the shelters are not accessible.
Martz and Wiggie keep grumbling about the RTA and trains. Martz says that he is worried that we are planning for an RTA and in Fitchburg won’t sell land cuz might need it for RTA. Wonders if RTA will make this shelter more expensive later.
The grumbling dies down, Amendment to the amendment and the amended amendment passed.
VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE
Richmond says he has a companion amendment to the one Opitz has that is going to be discussed at Personnel and Finance. You are not considering it but they go together. Richmond’s purpose in introducing the amendment and the accompanying resolution are to put the vehicle registration fee in affect in March to raise almost $4.5M and do two or three things. One is to restore 3% cut to human services and second is to build a reserve fund. He addresses the editorial in the State Journal that says they are shifting money from general fund to human services from highway fund. They say not any money will be spent on transportation expenses. That is false. That is the only thing the county can do with that money is spend it on transportation costs. Richmond says there is $4-5M in transportation expenses that the taxpayers currently pay for. If you think only taxpayer dollars should be spent on transportation expenses then you won’t like this fee. He notes the state does this – spends transportation fees on transportation expenses. There is a 24 month sunset on it. He is proposing it because he feels strong about the 3% in human services. One supervisor says it should be sunset because its no flatter of a tax than the property tax and it is a way to get funds. If you want to reduce property taxes in 2012, he has no problem with that.
Wiggie asks if it is $15 on all motor vehicles – is that the same for a car and semi. Richmond says that it is $15 on vehicles they are allowed by the state. He says the tax is not on semi’s or motorcycles, includes pickups and cars and I think he said minivans or RVs or recreational vehicles, but I missed it.
Martz asks why not all vehicles? We use dollars for roads and roads have bikes, scooters and motorcycles. He grumbles about slow mopeds on Fish Hatchery Road and asks why they are exempt. Kyle says the state made that distinction. [Dude, pay attention, that’s what Wiggie just asked.]
Schmidt asks if they have flexibility in terms of a fee that would be on a second vehcicle or of a certain value. Richmond says they can’t do that. He says they considered rebating money to people who were under a certain income level in the past.
Richmond says he knows its not popular, the budget is not popular and he won’t vote for budget as is. Knows it is a serious question for everyone. Hopes they can have a debate at some point. Has lost a job and wasn’t working, people are scared and don’t want another $15 charge. He says if we really want to talk about how they do the budget – all we do is monkey around the fringe – while we do things like use one time $5M ATC money with no plan to replace it next year and he wishes we would have a serious conversation about how we fund things and think about why in a time of need we are making a 3% cut, especially to the people who really need the services.
Schmidt doesn’t disagree. Not a more progressive tax. Would support discussion about how to raise money in a more progressive fashion. Understands the constraints about how we can’t do anything to fix the vehicle registration fee and we’re getting screwed by the state in so many ways. Thinks people in her district will struggle with a property tax increase – and this is something she can’t do now. Agrees with where he wants money to go, but this will hurt people in her district that are barely making it.
Opitz moves no recommendation. Schmidt seconds.
Wiggie says they should vote up or down and let the finance committee take it up. He says its a good proposal, concerned about state law and it could bring more revenue, would like more info. If its a wheel tax, it should be everything.
Opitz withdraws the motion. Opitz moves approval. Veldran seconds.
Kyle says they don’t have control over state, they know it is regressive. He says people ask “Why are you doing this, you know it won’t pass”. He says many sit on the sidelines and do nothing. He can’t. You were at the hearings, people are suffering. There are people with small houses and alot of vehicles and people with big houses and one car and there is no clear pattern. It may be $15, $30 or $45 and in some cases in his part of Fitchburg it will be a 4 car garages and $60. But they don’t have alot of options. This editorial says it is irresponsible. It doesn’t say what they would do with a property tax increase. A guy the other night came and testified he wants no increase in his taxes, but they never say what they will cut.
Veldran says it is difficult to add it on to people struggle but it is valued that you bring this forward. You are the only person that said they have something.
Richmond says Vedder’s amendment will not have a funding source.
Opitz voted for it, I think every one else voted against, but I was unclear about Veldran.
That was on the resolution in front of them and some confusion about what they were voting on, but they also still had the budget amendment in front of them. So thye have a motion to deny. Schmidt makes the motion seconded by Veldran. There is no further discussion. The budget amendment fails 4 – 1, or more accurately, is denied 4 – 1. Opitz was the only no.
When I left the building about 7:15, the Health and Human Needs meeting was still packed with about 30 – 40 people after 2 hours. I was the only one at the meeting on the Vehicle Registration Fee.
