I have a pop quiz for you . . .

1. Which City of Madison alders sponsored the following amendment?

The Madison Comprehensive Plan recommends the development of a specific 3-5 year economic development strategy as the first and highest priority for implementing the Plan's goals and objectives for the City's long-term economic development. The strategy would include an assessment of the City's financial tools, as well as its organizational capacity to achieve its economic development goals and provide specific directives for action. The development of this strategy cannot be done with current staffing within the P&D Department and will require the use of consultants experienced in developing such plans for cities like Madison. The Economic Development Commission will be the City's lead advisory body for this strategy.

2. Which alders made the following arguments to avoid voting for the $50,000 for an Economic Development Plan?

a. That if you were to talk to people in the City that believe that economic development is a problem, that developing a plan is not high on the City’s list of what the City needs to do for economic development.

b. They were concerned that the business community did not ask for this and that they needed “a stronger sense of need”. This person also said we needed to make priority decisions and referred to another plan for a small area of the City that was a higher priority.

c. That even though this was in the EDC report, they were voting against it because there will be a lot of private interest when we are ready. This person also said that the larger goal of lowering taxes was more important than personal priorities.

d. That there is an immediate need and we can’t wait for a 3 – 5 year plan to be developed because we are losing business now and $50,000 just isn’t enough.

e. This plan makes a lot of sense but I feel like we squandered a bunch of money that won’t have nearly the impact that this would have. I know that we need that plan, but we threw that money away yesterday.

f. Verona and Fitchburg are spending millions of dollars, we’re going to have to devote similar dollars and right now I don’t see how we are going to do that.

g. Others are already doing this. The Collaboration Council (with various City leaders) is looking at this regionally and spending private dollars. This is not only a city issue.

3. Which alders supported the staff’s request to help guide their work as issues arise and had the following to say about how a good economic development plan was important for our City to move forward.

a. All of our talk about economic development in the City and our Economic Development plan is from 1983. It is incredibly important to the City that as we move forward talking about economic development that we actually have a plan. We need to show that we believe that economic development is important to the City.

b. “I’m counting votes and I can see this isnt going to pass, which I am disappointed about.”

c. I’m disappointed that we hear, and I think that most people believe, that economic development is important for the City, but I think a lot of people have different ideas about what we need to do to grow business in this City. I think we really need to start examining these issues. I’m disappointed that people are not willing to invest what seems to be a small amount of money in order to get a much larger economic benefit.

d. This is a critical opportunity. We lost 7 businesses in the last week to Fitchburg. We should be planning for a better Madison tomorrow.

e. There is great merit in this plan, but by charging this back to the mayor’s office and the planning department we are avoiding our responsibility.

f. Staff is looking for guidance, they are looking for our priorities as a City Council. We need to do this and we should have done it 3 years ago. Lets show the City that we are serious about economic development.

In the end, we determined that there were not the votes in the room for this amendment to pass but no one wanted to be on record voting against economic development. Alder Golden amended the motion asking no one in particular to ask for private sources and that the City would decide how much money we will give based on the fundraising that will be done.

It is worth it to watch these 30 minutes of bizzare-o-world on City Channel 12 video streaming for November 17, Item 33. But first, check out the answers below.

ANSWERS:

1. Amendment #33

Agency/Service: Ofc. Of the Director of Planning & Development/Ofc. Of Bus. Resources
Page(s): 126
Sponsor(s): Alds. Konkel, Olson, Verveer

2 Comments against the amendment
a. Sanborn
b. Golden
c. Brandon
d. Compton
e. Cnare
f. Palm
g. Radomski

3 Comments for the amendment
a. Konkel
b. Olson
c. Webber
d. Bruer
e. Benford
f. Konkel