Many Local Governments Optimistic About State Budget Impact

The head of the state association that supports cities, towns and villages says they fared well under the budget signed Sunday by Gov. Scott Walker.

Wisconsin League of Municipalities Executive Director Jerry Deschane said they were frustrated by a number of items included in the budget like changes to how room tax revenues should be spent. But overall, Deschane said it isn’t a bad budget for local governments.

“There weren’t cuts to big aid programs like shared revenue and transportation,” said Deschane. “So, by and large, the cities and villages in Wisconsin think they did fairly well.”

Even so, Superior Mayor Bruce Hagen warned that the state is leaving local governments with fewer options to maintain services.

“They’re causing local units of government to look at other types of revenue streams like fees and taxes to survive,” he said.

Hagen said the city has been fortunate that it hasn’t had to eliminate services. But, with increasing costs, he said that luck may not hold for long.