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A Push For Human Services
Former Foes On Casino Issue Combine To Plead For More Funding
Wisconsin State Journal :: LOCAL/WISCONSIN :: C1
Monday, September 13, 2004
Lesley Rogers Barrett Wisconsin State Journal
Two former foes are joining together in asking taxpayers to pay more for Dane County human services.David Relles, who led the effort to defeat a February referendum to turn DeJope Bingo Hall into a casino, is partnering with Lisa Pugh, spokeswoman for the Ho-Chunk-sponsored pro-casino group.
They will launch SOS-Dane -- which stands for Save Our Services -- at a 1 p.m. press conference today at the City-County Building.
The group hopes to convince county officials that property owners won't mind paying roughly $20 more in taxes next year to boost funding for the county Department of Human Services, which provides programs for the elderly, children and low-income families.
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The proposed human services budget is $208 million -- more than half of the county's overall budget. County Executive Kathleen Falk will introduce her budget for 2005 on Oct. 1 and the County Board should approve a final spending plan by Thanksgiving.
As it stands in the proposal, human services would get $4 million more than last year. But agencies and nonprofits that contract with Dane County said the increase isn't enough to keep up with the growing demand for services and cost of living increases. As a result, jobs and services would likely be cut.
Sharyn Wisniewski, assistant to Falk, said Falk plans to propose a budget that "protects human services, public safety and controls taxes."
If the casino referendum had passed in February, the Ho-Chunk planned to pay at least $7 million a year to Madison and Dane County. The county planned to use some of the funding to pay for human services.
Pugh said if the budget is approved as proposed, it means the decline of the human services system.
"Human services really needs to be a priority in Dane County," Pugh said. "Enough is enough. The budget should not be balanced on the backs of our most vulnerable residents."
Relles said talking to people who are on waiting lists for human services was "a real eye-opener." He said SOS-Dane is similar to the referendum battle he fought not that long ago.
"I think of it as a referendum on Dane County human services," Relles said. "People will either tell the press and county officials if they want to spend more tax dollars or not. It's just not a formal referendum."
\ If you go
* What: Kick-off press conference for SOS-Dane, an organization pushing for more human services funding.
* When: 1 p.m. today
* Where: City-County Building front steps, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
* Online: www.sosdane.org
\ Contact Lesley Rogers Barrett at lrogers@madison.com or 252-6139.
