Dane County Towns Association   Newsletter

August, 2003

TOWN NEWS & VIEWS
The Official Newsletter of the
Dane County Towns Association

Formation of Lake
District in Roxbury
Rising water levels in Fish Lake and Mud Lake have caused residents to spend the last four years trying to get government assistance.  Saturday, September 6,  lake district residents will hold their first annual meeting to elect officers.  Three members will be elected, one from the Town of Westpoint and two from the Town of Roxbury.  Vern Wendt, Dane County Supervisor, and Bob Pings, Clerk of the Town of Roxbury, will serve as trustees.

Formation of the lake district will allow residents to obtain funding needed to pump water out of the lakes and drain it into the Wisconsin River.  Dane County will match $15,000 funds and $200,000 has been earmarked in State Budget for construction of the pumping system.

General Meeting at Town of Oregon
July 9, 2003

RPC Will Survive Until 2004
Dane County Circuit Court Judge David Flanagan ruled that Gov. Scott McCallum's order to abolish the RPC by October 2, 2002, was illegal.  The RPC will survive until its initial sunset date of October 2, 2004.  See article on page 3.

Update on Smart Growth
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that only 94 of Wisconsin's 1600 local towns, villages, cities and counties have completed the required land-use plans.  About 600 governments are working on plans.

A group of Republican state lawmakers, led by State Rep. Carol Owens (R-Oshkosh) , is trying to repeal the "Smart Growth" law claiming the mandate hurts towns that are not under development pressure and cannot afford the cost involved.

Doyle Vetoes Levy Freeze
There was good news for local governments and school districts when Gov. Doyle vetoed the property tax levy freeze.  And there was bad news which included shared revenue cuts.   

State Republicans are claiming that property taxes will spiral because of the veto.  Doyle claims local governments will balance their budgets by cutting spending and not increasing taxes.