Preserve Services, Expand Partnerships

Recently, I introduced my 2016 Budget for Dane County. My budget focuses on providing our critical core services while expanding partnerships to better our community.

My budget includes the strongest efforts yet by Dane County to address mental illness. I am expanding our mental health teams to more schools across Dane County in partnership with local schools. Early intervention is key to both preventing and knocking down the barriers that come with mental illness. I am also creating Community Crisis Teams to help law enforcement respond to mental health crisis situations available 24/7.

My budget continues our commitment to cleaning up our lakes through partnerships and conservation.

Homelessness is a complex problem that no one entity can solve. We are continuing our work with the Homelessness Consortium and investing millions in direct services to our homeless population. I am also doubling our Eviction Prevention Fund which successfully kept 266 kids in their homes last year.

This budget furthers our work of criminal justice reform by creating a “Re-entry Team” in our Dane County Jail. We will assess inmates and make an individualized plan for each inmate.  A successful re-entry reduces their risk of returning.

70 percent of Wisconsin’s population growth happens in Dane County, as does 56% of Wisconsin’s private sector job growth. We consistently have the lowest rate of unemployment in the state.

We are a thriving, growing community, with unlimited potential.  While we are certainly not without our growing pains, I am proud of the manner in which our community faces its challenges head on. We will get there, and we will get there together – with respect; with spirited debate, and through partnering, together– the Dane County Way.

Posted in Newsletter.