Help Columbus save themselves.

Columbus and towns across American can not sustain their current way of spending money constantly depending on higher governments to borrow funds to fix infrastructure.

The City Council is debating whether they should agree to the Columbus Police Department wish's and spend money on

Fleet $15,000

Fleet cameras $10,000

Computers $4,000

Personal cameras $10,000

Supervisor (estimate) $87,000

Patrol (estimate) $70,000

Patrol uniform $1,000

Total $197,000

All of which there is be zero documentation on whether all this is actually needed.  $197,000 for the Police Department when this COULD go towards roads.  OR, we can borrow yet again (1.1 million in 2011 and $500,000 in 2012) for infrastructure.  This is not a financially viable way to run a city.

As of last year the CPD budget was one of the highest in the area at 29.9%.   Lake Mills 24%, Milton 25%, Edgerton 32%, Prairie du Chen 19%.   That was a year ago and while the Columbus budget as a whole has dropped the CPD budget is increasing as a percentage of the whole budget.  

All departments need to cut back and all have except for one.  Personal digital body cameras for each police officer??  Come on man!!

The argument from the Chief is that he wants to be proactive and not reactive.  This is like saying "we want to spend money to fix a problem that is not a problem".  This is wasting money.  There is no problem that will be catastrophic and can't be fixed if it arises. When there is a problem, THEN come forward with a solution.   There are ways to be proactive without all the latest bells and whistles.

Aldermen Adams proposal  keeps the Police Department  exactly as it was in 2013.  No changes in personal as we did not have a Supervisor or Patrol officer in those positions last year and we survived.  The argument is that they are needed to cover overtime but overtime has never been mentioned in any of the monthly police reports, which, I assume if it WAS a problem would have been mentioned.

Let's make Columbus financially viable and start being smart about our budget.

Contact your alderman - email are below the graphic

  
1. sdavidson@columbuswi.us
1. aadams@columbuswi.us
2. jperkins@columbuswi.us
2. dbomkamp@columbuswi.us
3. pschumann@columbuswi.us
3. mthom@columbuswi.us

Tell them we do not believe the city will run into chaos this year with the same number of police officers but we do need to become financially smart and fix our infrastructure.   The Police Department is doing fine while are roads are deteriorating.

Come to the CC meeting and voice your opinion  Tuesday the 19th 6:30.  City Hall in Columbus!