I was pleased to receive a copy of this letter regarding the 2014 County Budget:
November 25, 2013
MEMO TO: John Hendrick, Chair, Dane County Board/All Supervisors, Dane County Board
MEMO TO: Joe Parisi, County Executive, Dane County
SUBJECT: Congratulations and Thank You for a very Green FY2014 Budget
Congratulations to every Dane County Board Supervisor and the County Executive. The recently approved Dane County FY2014 Budget funds many important environmental programs, personnel and resources that are supported by many Dane County conservation and energy advocacy groups. CRANES is especially appreciative of your inclusion of the climate action inventories, Phase I of our DANE HEALTHY SKIES proposal.
On Monday November 18th, almost every supervisor voted for the budget proposed by the Executive, after adding amendments that made use of all the remaining funding capacity permitted under the levy caps set by the State of Wisconsin. On Tuesday, the Executive signed the budget without making any vetoes.
Importantly, with funding of DANE HEALTHY SKIES, the county will be expanding its substantial previous work on government-based climate adaptation to include preparation for work on climate mitigation across the entire county. This effort will implement the work product of the Work Group on Greenhouse Gas and Air Quality of the HUD grant-funded Capital Region Sustainable Communities Partnership.
There is substantial funding for new and much-needed human resources for environmental programs as well as land protection targeted at improving water quality. There's also funding for a Dane County Youth Conservation Corps, an idea that CRANES and other conservationists strongly advocated during formation of the 2012-17 Dane County Parks & Open Space Plan.
Again, thanks for all your efforts. This is perhaps the greenest county budget ever.
Sincerely,
Gary Werner
President, CRANES 2010-13 Board of Directors
