Waukesha — Saying Waukesha residents can't afford the debt, Waukesha Mayor Jeff Scrima Monday issued a rare veto - and his first since taking office in April - of the Common Council's newly adopted capital projects budget and plan.
"In this current economy, with many of our citizens unemployed, under-employed and on fixed incomes, it is not the time for the city to spend money we don't have on what we don't need," he said in his veto message.
The council last week approved a 2011 capital budget that called for borrowing $6.7 million next year to build two new fire stations on the east and south sides of Waukesha. In doing so, it overruled a 3-2 Finance Committee recommendation that the city instead spend $786,500 to upgrade the two fire stations with new roofs, exhaust systems, emergency generators and ventilating and air conditioning units.
The relocations are intended to get the Fire Department's response times to seven minutes or less. The city built two new fire stations downtown and on the northwest side in recent years.
The council's approval of the capital plan also included as recommended by the Finance Committee another $4.9 million in borrowing - the typical goal each year - for such things as streets, roofs, technology equipment and other infrastructure. Another $2.3 million for storm sewer improvements was also included in the 2011 budget, though a utility district to pay the costs is under consideration.
The capital plan was adopted last week on a 10-5 vote. It will take 10 votes to override Scrima's veto.
Common Council President Paul Ybarra, asked whether the 10 votes were there, replied, "Who knows?"
He defended the council's decision to borrow for new fire stations and challenged Scrima's reasoning that they were not needed.
"That vote brings similar service to families in the Waukesha South (High School) and Waukesha West areas that I enjoy in the Waukesha North area," he said.
Ybarra also was irked that Scrima had not provided aldermen with the veto message that was e-mailed to reporters and the city clerk.
"Of course the mayor didn't extend the common courtesy to send aldermen a copy of that memo," Ybarra said.
The council is set to hold a committee of the whole meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the 2011 operating budget.
A public hearing on the city's final budget is planned for Nov. 16, when the Common Council has scheduled final adoption. That's also when an override vote on Scrima's veto will be scheduled, City Clerk-Treasurer Tom Neill said.
Finance Director Steve Neaman predicted, "It's going to be a long night."
In his veto message, Scrima said the 2011 capital budget increases borrowing by $1.3 million, or 36%, over this year and by almost $9 million over the next six years. Next year's capital project borrowing would not affect the 2010 tax rate, which as currently proposed would be frozen at the 2009 level.
"Regardless of how low interest rates are, all debt must ultimately be paid," he said. "If this is not changed, our citizens will have to pay this debt, not in 2011, but through increased taxes in years 2012 and beyond."
Scrima challenged aldermen to trim the planned borrowing "and find capital by taking a hard look at how our city employee retirement and health care benefits and furloughs compare with what the majority of our citizens experience in the private sector."
He also suggested the council could put the borrowing up for a referendum.
Ybarra said it appeared that Scrima was suggesting using employee cost savings as a way to pay for debt.
"This is the stuff that scares me, when our mayor is confusing operating and capital budget," he said.
Neaman said in his 17 years at City Hall working on budgets, this is the first budget veto he recalls since former Mayor Paul Vrakas' veto. He served from 1970 to 1978 and from 1986 to 1994.
Scrima concluded his veto message with a new play on his campaign slogan - "A New Day for Waukesha."
He said, "As mayor of the city of Waukesha, I am holding to my campaign promise of accountability. This decision is looking out for the citizens of Waukesha for the sake of a new tomorrow. A new tomorrow begins with austerity today."
Veto message online Read Mayor Jeff Scrima's veto message at www.jsonline.com/Waukesha.