City-County Building
Common Council

D13 Updates...plus Finance Director's Summary of Local Impacts of Federal Cuts in Trump's Budget Bill

posted 

Hi Everyone,

We're half-way through summer, enjoying the lovely weather and the respite from the muggy heat. Let's hope the smoke from the Canadian wildfires is kept mostly at bay.

Here are this week's updates:

Farmers' Markets: Find the locations and schedules for farmers' markets near you! 

Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings 

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page. 

  • Common Council: The Common Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 15, at 6:30 p.m. in hybrid format. Agenda items include the three Housing Forward proposals and a resolution to allow for change in the legal status of city shoreline associated with the Madison LakeWay Project without holding a city-wide referendum. (Note: I am sponsoring all four items.)
  • Police and Fire Commission: The Police and Fire Commission meeting will take place on Monday, July 14, at 5:30 p.m. Agenda items include a discussion of the Police Chief hiring process. 
  • Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 15, at 4:30 p.m. Agenda items include approving amendments to Tax Incremental Districts in District 2, 4, 6, 8, 13, and 15. 

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here. 

Announcements and News Releases 

  • Statement on WEC Investigation : The Wisconsin Election Commission announced this morning that it has concluded its investigation into unprocessed absentee ballots from the November 5, 2024, election in the City of Madison. [posted July 9, 2025] 
  • Nakoma Road Sidewalk Project - AT&T Utility Work : Starting Monday, July 14th, Cherokee Drive at Nakoma Road will close to through traffic and re-open July 23rd. Manitou Way will temporarily be re-opened for this AT&T work and will re-close July 23rd. [posted July 8, 2025] 

Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted. 

Events 

  • Monday Mornings at The Glen, Monday, July 14, 2025: Enjoy The Glen for a stroll, nature, workout or leashed dog walk from sunrise to 8:00 am. Tee times resume at hole #1 at 8:00am. Visitors should be alert for golf balls and golfers while exiting the course. 
  • Lakeside Kids: Power Dance Kids, Tuesday, July 15: Join us for another exciting summer season of Lakeside Kids! – a free, interactive series featuring science, culture, arts and entertainment. Designed for kids ages 4+, this event provides hands on fun and learning in an engaging and dynamic setting.  
  • Learn to Nordic Walk, Thursday, July 17: Turn your walk into a full-body workout with Nordic walking!  We've partnered with Madison Nordic Ski Club (MadNorSki) for a free class.  Participants of all ages are welcome and will explore the park and learn how to use walking poles for a cardio and strength-building workout.   
  • Brat Fry Friday, Friday, July 18: Come join us for lunch at the links!  The grill will be fired up from 10am-3pm for a delicious afternoon treat.  Brats are $5.00 each or choose to make it a meal and add chips and a soda for $8.00 or chips and a beer for $10.00.  This event is open to all to participate! 

Please find additional upcoming City of Madison Parks events listed on the City parks event calendar. 

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.  

Lastly....

President Trump's Big and (Not-so) Beautiful Bill was signed into law on July 4th. I was relieved to learn that the cuts I feared to HUD did not materialize. In other words, no changes to housing vouchers and our CDA projects, including the large redevelopment project on the Triangle, can proceed mostly intact. 

All is not well, however. At last month's Finance Committee meeting, Finance Director Dave Scmiedicke shared detailed information about what was in the Senate Bill that was eventually signed into law. There we learned about the consequences of this bill, including the estimated 2000 Madison residents who are projected to lose SNAP (nutrition assistance) benefits and the 6000 who are projected to lose their Medicaid. 

This is a gut punch.

It's also a time for collective action.

Let me close with these rousing words from the Great Transformation podcast by Mike Madrid (thanks to D13 resident Heather K.):

To believe that our time is uniquely cursed is a form of arrogance. We are heirs to people who endured far worse and prevailed. But to believe that democracy will survive without our effort is a form of delusion.

This nation has survived civil war, global war, economic collapse, racial injustice, and constitutional crisis. It has done so not by accident, but because enough people, sometimes just barely enough, rose to the challenge.

We must do the same.

This is a moment of choosing. Between fact and fiction. Between hope and fear. Between democracy and something much colder.

Let us be worthy of the moment. Let us honor Washington's quiet plea for courage, Lincoln's call to finish the work, and Eisenhower's faith in ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Today, fear has gripped millions of Americans, but the moment must be met with catalyzing action, not paralysis. Turn fear into righteous anger. Do not let it leave you frozen.

The cause of liberty has always depended on imperfect citizens rising to perfect occasions.

Now it depends on us.

That's all for now.

Take care and stay safe,

Tag

 

Was this page helpful to you?

District 13 - Alder Evers

Alder Tag Evers

Alder Tag Evers

District 13
Contact Alder Evers