Port Council Talks Cuts, Changes to City Services

In anticipation of tough budgeting decisions after cuts to city aid under Gov. Scott Walker’s budget, the Port Washington Common Council has given a green light to the possibility of changes to fees for recycling services as well as cutting Port’s taxi service.

The city faces a loss of $80,000 in insured revenues and about $69,000 in transportation aid, City Administrator Mark Grams said. The council discussed the possibility of both ideas at its meeting last week, giving Grams the go-ahead to lay out the 2012 budget as if both changes had been approved. The changes will then be able to be approved when the budget is presented to the council.

The cost of recycling is now part of the city's property taxes, meaning some Port Washington taxpayers not using the recycling services are still paying for it — including businesses as well as residents of condominium buildings made of four or more units. Such entities are required to pay for private services if they want recycling options.

Instead, the city will add a roughly $45 per household annual recycling fee as a separate charge on the property tax bills of those who use the service. That change would net the city $151,000 annually, Grams said.

The special charge will have little effect on the bottom line of these households’ taxes after the amount of the new charge is deducted from the tax bill, he said, though condominium owners and businesses will likely see lower tax bills as they do not use the service.

Aldermen were unanimously in favor of the change, as it will help solve some budgeting issues.

“In light of the reduced funding that we will be getting from the state (for recycling) … this is probably a good time to make that happen,” Ald. Eric Larson said.

Also lightening the load for the city is the removal of TransPORT Taxi Service. Ozaukee County offers a similar taxi service, and, in fact, houses its vehicles in Port Washington as well.

“It’s a duplicated service. There’s really no reason that the county can’t handle it,” Larson said. “We are still the only city in this county that has this service, and it’s great when the money is there … unfortunately, with the situation — it really would be a financially silly decision to spend (the money).”

The taxi service cost sthe city about $40,000 annually, Grams said.

But simply cutting the city’s taxi service is not all there is to it. The city is about to receive a new van that was ordered last year for the program, which came at a price tag to $7,300 to Port. The total cost of the van was about $41,000, and, because of state aid was used to make up the difference in cost, there a limitations on how the van can be used after the city discontinues the service.

The city hopes to be able to donate the van to the county program, but there will be plenty of paperwork and other “hoops” to jump through first, Grams said.

"I’m frustrated that we purchased the van … and it’s just really unfortunate the way it all played out," Ald. Mike Erhlich said. "I feel like we were (convinced) that, yes, we have to buy this van — and we ended up making it through the year (without it)."

Despite expenses wasted on a van that will hardly see any use, the council was also unanimously in favor of removing the taxi service.