The Madison common council will be deliberating on the 2018 budget tomorrow. Part of the discussion will center on Alder Paul Skidmore’s amendment, which if passed, would ultimately lead to the funding of 15 additional (and much-needed) police officers. http://www.supportmadisonpolice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Common-Council-Proposed-Operating-Amendments.pdf It could go either way tomorrow. The good news is that Paul’s recently re-introduced amendment (the original one failed to pass in the finance committee) has managed to snag six alders as co-authors. We suspect this had a lot to do with the letter-writing campaign we generated. So if you’ve written in, thank you! http://www.supportmadisonpolice.com/madison-common-council-is-starting-to-hear-our-pleas-for-more-cops/ If you haven’t written, please do so and urge others to write, as well. You can use my pre-filled form if you’d like. http://www.supportmadisonpolice.com/urge-mayor-soglin-madison-common-council-to-prioritize-funding-of-our-police-department/ The bad news is that a group of alders has presented an amendment in opposition to Paul’s amendment. If they win, the prospect of hiring additional patrol officers in 2018 would essentially be dead. http://www.supportmadisonpolice.com/are-some-members-of-the-madison-common-council-placing-roadblocks/ (Paul has authored a second pro-cop amendment, which if passed, would approve a body camera pilot project for officers. A group of alders have written an oppositional amendment on this program, as well). If you can spare a little time tomorrow evening to attend the common council meeting, that would be helpful to our cause. If not, I understand – we all live busy lives. If you do plan on attending, I’m including information below for your convenience . . . DATE & TIME: Monday, November 13th, beginning at 5:30PM WHERE: Room 201 of the City / County Building. IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK: The public will have an opportunity to weigh-in, and I’m told this portion of the meeting will start at about 5:45PM. Each citizen is given three minutes. You’ll need to fill out a form requesting to speak – or you can just fill out the form, stating that you support funding of Madison PD, then leave. The forms are usually available about a half hour before the meeting starts, and they place them outside the council chambers. You don’t have to stay all evening – you can leave as soon as you’re done speaking. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Thanks. --Paula Fitzsimmons paula@supportmadisonpolice.com