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Mike Norton-Aug. 29.1999 Mjn304@aol.com 304 W South Park Oshkosh,WI 54902 920-233-0586 Return to top of page Return to Commentary
Let me first thank you for your support in the April election. I hope you will contact me when you have any concerns or need help with Winnebago County government. Since last April. I was appointed to serve on the Awards Committee which deal with giving scholarships to high school seniors going to college. I also represent Winnebago County on the Advocap Board of Directors-the Community Action Agency for the county-my third appointment was to the Winnebago County Housing Authority.
I do plan on having office hours before board meetings and constituent meetings. Look for notices in the newspaper, and I will have newsletters from time to time to keep you updated and informed.
The UW Fox Valley Board of Trustees have proposed replacing the existing UW Fox Valley Theater to begin construction in 2004. Preliminary cost of 3.5 million is to be divided between Winnebago and Outagamie Counties. The board has voted have to a presentation by the Trustees at the September 5 Special Orders meeting of the County Board. Presentation is to include a full disclosure of the project plan with costs. The board will then decided if to include the project on the 5 Year Capital Improvement Plan.
I do not support the plan or the project at this time. In my opinion a new theater is not needed, with a new PAC being built in Appleton and other facilities available, I am open to renovation of the existing theater.The County must also first finalize the new county jail plan plus I feel the project is one we cannot afford or need at this time.
At the June Special Orders meeting Sheriff Mike Brooks gave the board an update of the County Jail Project. He reported that phase of programming for the jail will be done in August with a recommendation by him at that time.
I have since meet with him since that time about this issue. It his and my hope that a special meeting will take place which will present recommendation on the size and details of the jail. With the County Board voting soon after to keep the process of building of a new county jail on time with no delays.
I believe, after talking with the Sheriff and others, that the facility should be built with 350 beds to meet our needs until 2015, be able to add on to the facility, and to have meals doneat a much cheaper rate. We must keep the process going without any more delays in order to built by 2003.
At the May Special Orders meeting there was a presentation by the UW Extension (a valuable resource I have used since being elected} on the importance of the airport to the area. I have included the hand written report we received for you to read [note from Tony Palmeri: The hand written note is not available for this web site]. Also heard from a marketing firm who studied how to better market and utilize the airport- the Aviation Committee is looking this and will make recommendation.
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On August 15 the Winnebago County Board of Supervisors voted 30-7 to reject a resolution that would have placed an advisory referendum on the November ballot asking "Do you favor the implementation of an additional 0.5 percent Winnebago County sales tax for a limited period of three years to pay for the cost of construction of a new Winnebago County jail and renovations to the present public safety building?" Only one of the 7 who voted for the resolution, Mark Madison, represents a district that is completely within the city of Oshkosh. What did he hear at the meeting that his brothers and sisters from Sundial City did not?
Perhaps it was this: "Finance Director Chuck Orenstein may have provided the most compelling argument for the sales tax, although it was, in the end, all for nothing. Orenstein said residents would actually save more than $100 should they and the board approve the half-percent sales tax hike. He said conventional, 10-year bonding for the estimated $25 million jail would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $403 in property taxes over the life of the debt. However, the sales tax would cost that same homeowner between $266 and $300 during the three years the half-percent was in effect." (Oshkosh Northwestern, August 15, 2000).
If Orenstein is correct--and not one of the vocal "reformers" on the board refuted his calculations--then any supervisor who claims to be a "friend of the taxpayer" is obligated to take a closer look at the sales tax before dismissing it outright. As a home owner and taxpayer, I know I certainly would rather pay $300 towards the jail instead of $403.
I assume that the board's self and Oshkosh Northwestern appointed "reformers" plan to find a way to see to it that the average taxpayer will pay between $266 and $300 toward the cost of the jail. Since the reformers have made it clear that the board is, in the words of the Northwestern, "addicted to spending," I look forward to seeing where the reformers plan to make cuts in the budget.
The Oshkosh Northwestern offered some suggestions on possible cuts in their editorial of August 13: "We spotted several projects that should be examined and perhaps delayed to reduce expenses, including the relocation of the health department, the Community Park road development program, a new juvenile detention facility and creating additional office space. These projects alone represent $8.2 million in potential savings. New opportunities for savings will also be found in the county's 2001 budget which is currently being prepared by the executive." Do the county board's opponents of the sales tax agree with these possible cuts? What else do they propose to cut? When will we know?
While spending cuts are necessary, I hope that the reformers do not allow Winnebago County to become a larger version of the city of Oshkosh. That is, a place where maintenance is deferred for years--sometimes for decades--so that politicians can keep the tax rate as low as possible. The deferred maintenance mentality, as has become painfully clear in the city of Oshkosh, leads to a crumbling infrastructure, urban blight and decay, high debt, and a lower municipal bond rating. For decades, the city of Oshkosh was ruled by "reformers" who bragged year after year about keeping the tax rate low while our streets became an embarrassment and older neighborhoods crumbled from neglect.
Is Winnebago County headed in the same direction? Let's hope not.
Mark Madison is one of the new board supervisors, appointed in April to complete Ron Montgomery's term. With the political climate on the board right now--a climate that pits board Chairman Joseph Maehl in a pissing contest against the Oshkosh supervisors primarily--the easiest thing for Madison to do would have been to join the Wingren/Pech Jr. bandwagon, make some grand remarks about the evil of taxation and the spending addiction of the board, and vote against the referendum. Instead, Madison appeared to be one of the only supervisors to listen to all of the arguments presented, and ended up voting to give the voters a chance to have a say on whether they would rather spend $300 or $400 towards the jail. Does this mean he supports the sales tax? Of course not. It only means that he heard enough evidence on both sides to warrant a more extended discussion that having a question on the November ballot would provide for. I also found it refreshing that Madison appears to be a supervisor who does not have to keep reminding everyone how many citizens he talks to, or how many doors he knocks on, or what a great listener he is.
What the board should have done--and I must give credit to Supervisor Mike Norton for suggesting this to me--was amend Supervisor Sievert's resolution to make the referendum binding instead of advisory. That way, the opponents of the tax would have been able to guarantee that the sales tax discussion would disappear, and it would put more pressure on the sales tax opponents to let us know where they will cut the budget in order to be able to pay for big ticket items like the jail.
Let me be clear about something: I am opposed to a sales tax for all of the reasons that have been stated by the Northwestern and some supervisors. However, I am equally opposed to grandstanding about spending cuts. If there were a referendum question on the November ballot, and if between now and November it turned out that the spending cut rhetoric was nothing but hot air that could not be backed up with any realistic spending cut proposal, then maybe the sales tax is a necessary evil. Those who stand to be the target of spending cuts have the right to know about it well in advance, and those who advocate spending cuts have a responsibility to point out the specific areas that they would like to cut.
Kudos to Mark Madison for being independent, avoiding what has become the standard board practice of personalizing all policy discussions, and staying out of the resulting pissing contest.
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While it may seem to be courageous for Mark Madison to vote for the Advisory Referendum, I did not try and make the debate about the County Sales Tax into a "pissing " match. I voted against the referendum partly because it was Advisory and not binding. For if we trust and want to get input from the voters and residents of Winnebago County, then I feel that we should trust them enough to make it Binding and we live with their decision. I do not like all the posturing from County Supervisors on the issue. I think the public, if they want it, should have input on the issue. Who says we know all that is best for Winnebago County? Others who voted against the resolution actually are for it-they feel the County Board should decide--not the people. I do not necessarily agree with that point.
I have not completely ruled out a sales tax. But we must try and see if Outagamie and Fond Du Lac County will join us, so as not affect the those small business, like the ones in my district on Oregon, Ohio, and South Main, from being hurt. These businesses would be hurt the greatest for they are not on the "New" Main Street of the Valley - Highway 41. I would like it be permanent and not be allocated for one or two projects. I am being honest in saying that once we have the money I do not want to let it go. I would be very interested in Tony Palmeri's idea of a targeted sales tax, for it would not hit hard those at lower economic levels. I feel the position I have taken best serves my district and the County as a whole.
As far as what I would cut or not add to the budget. Well, cut County Board pay, cut funding of community art and historical groups, let's not dive right in to the new Security Project for the Courthouse, take it easy on new road projects and see if they will be needed and used in the future. I have written to the Chair of the Personal and Finance Comm. and others stating we should have a group to study our budget for the next 5 , if not more years, including how we fund new projects, are they needed, and which ways can be more efficient and cost effective in terms of providing services to Winnebago County.
I have visited various committees and all have requested more personnel or space, or equipment. Department heads have said that to get all of their requests they asked for originally, they will fight for it on the floor at budget time.
I think we may have to look at how we do the budget and how we spend money after the budget is approved. I Know what my priorities are for the upcoming budget, and I would like to share those priorities with you and your audience in the near future.
Michael J Norton 304 W. South park Oshkosh, WI 54902 Return to top of page Return to Commentary
Commentary Question #1: You were one of four supervisors in opposition to a resolution to endorse the Wisconsin Counties Association recommendations to the Kettl Commission. What are the reasons for your vote?
Norton Response: The main reason I voted against the Resolution is that I do not believe it really benefits the counties that much. Also, the Resolution was another "feel good" resolution which did not call for much action on the part of the County Board. I feel that that County Board by way of its Legislative Committee should be more aggressive and proactive when dealing with issues, engaging our area legislators much more than we have done in the past. Rep. Kaufert, a good one to have as a guest on your show, as co-chair of Joint Finance Comm. is someone we should be more in contact with the next two years.
Commentary Question #2: As regards State/County relations, what would you like to see happen as a result of the Kettl Commission?
Norton Response: I would like to see the State pay a much higher share of the costs for the programs and laws they pass and make counties enforce or carry out. That means paying more of the costs of law enforcement and the judiciary within the counties. The state should share more of the costs for the upkeep of the jail and court system and if they can pay for DA's office they can pay for some of the jail labor costs as well. They pass the laws that our Sheriff's Dept. has to enforce.
I think one good thing resulting from the Kettl Commission is that the state/county will have a better understanding of what each level of government should be doing. I like the idea from the Kettl Comm. that counties become the central level of carrying out services. I think County government should be the more focal point of where services are carried out, as long as we are reimbursed by the state. I like the Indiana model where county government is more central level of government.
Commentary Question #3: Does the ascension of Scott McCallum to the Governor's Office hurt or help the chances of the Kettl Commission recommendations being put into place, in your opinion?
Norton Response: That is a hard to say as I do not know his feelings on the subject. It all depends on if he wants to be bold right away and if he thinks it is important and if so, who will he listen to those among those in academia, the towns, counties. That is a hard one for me--he has to pass a budget and deal with redistricting--both are as controversial as the Kettl Comm.
Commentary Question #4: A recent report put out by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance indicates that spending by Wisconsin's 72 counties has increased by more than twice the rate of inflation since 1995. Do you believe that spending in Winnebago County is "out of control?"
Norton Response: I do not think county spending is out of control. The two budget busters for last year were the State pulling back funds and creating more laws which made our jail population going up. Also, the county is being asked to do more and more that the State or feds used to do so that is another reason costs have gone up. Most counties have had to build jails-largely due to increase of jail population by state laws-and we do not get any help like the schools when building facilities.