MARSHFIELD, WI (WSAU) — Municipalities in Wisconsin are anxiously awaiting word on what the 2021 state aid payments will look like as they prepare to spell out their budgets for the coming year.
Marshfield Mayor Bob McManus says under normal years the budget process tends to go down to the wire, and he expects that to be even more true as COVID-19 continues to impact tax revenues.
“Right now all of the department heads are going through and sharpening their pencils because they know this is going to be a tough year,” said McManus. “They will send those to Steve Barg, the city Administrator, and he will start going through them and make a cut here, or an add here.”
Barg then has until October 16th to present his recommended budget to the full council. Final approval will then come in late November.
McManus says with as hard as the virus has hit the local economy he is encouraging all involved to make sure that there is no tax increase for 2021. “Everybody is concerned about that. Everyone wants to know will the state and the county give us the same amount of money as they have in the past. That really could be an issue.
“[But] the citizens of Marshfield have been through enough this year. Even though I know the reality of budgets, expenses, and increase, I’m going to work as hard as I can so there is no tax increase at all,” he added.
McManus says if the numbers are close often times that can be attained by making small cuts here or there, so he says he doesn’t see the need for widespread eliminations of projects or programs.
“Can we cut 1% here? Can we take a dime out of this dollar? If we do that in each department maybe we can get by. If we can’t we will have to borrow a little bit this year knowing we will have to pay that back,” he said.
He adds the city has over 300 budgets, including separate budgets for himself and Administrator Barg. He says since they both fall under administration, he’d like to see them combined into one for better efficiency.
It should be noted that as Mayor, McManus does not have a vote on the budget unless it council’s vote ends in a tie. Then he does have the authority to cast the tie-breaking vote.
Other topics McManus discussed with WSAU’s Mike Leischner include:
Start of video- progress on the new aquatic center and targeted opening date
8:20- Update on the city’s response to COVID 19
12:00- Update on the city’s budgeting process
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