Letter to my alders: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am unable to testify in person at the special meeting on the city budget tonight. I would speak in favor of the proposed amendment to the Madison 2008 Capital Budget that would remove funding for "improvements" to County Highway M. These projects will contribute to increased sprawl on the west side of Madison and western Dane County. It is also unfair for Madison to foot the whole bill for "improvements" to a county road. If I were to testify, this is what I would say: I live in Tim Gruber's near west side district 11 and I am a Madison home owner and have a family who enjoys a compact neighborhood developed prior to World War II. One reason central Madison is so wonderful is that this kind of development was life before sprawl. My share of city services and impact on the environment is much smaller compared to those who live in the sprawling edges of town and western Dane County. I am happy to contribute my fair share (pay property taxes) for the wonderful city services I receive. Contrast my situation to those who live west of Madison in the "country" of Dane County. They do not pay City of Madison property taxes, yet they rely upon and consume City of Madison services. They speed through my neighborhood on their way to the Overture Center or a job in the central core. I see no reason what-so-ever that my property taxes should be used to make their County Highway M into a freeway. Let them enjoy the congestion they and their co-dependent exurban households impose on the farm-to-market roads in rural Dane County. After a taste of the "good life" in the country (and the high cost of gasoline and increases in their county property taxes to pay for county road maintenance) maybe some of them may just reconsider and move back into town. The specific proposal to cut funding for CTH M improvements is Amendment No. 6 found at the link below: http://www.cityofmadison.com/council/documents/Am_CC_Proposed_Cap_2008.pdf Sincerely, George J. Perkins 442 Toepfer Avenue Madison, WI 53711 608-442-5558 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
