MIDDLETON, Wis. (WMTV) – Voters in the City of Middleton will face a referendum on their ballots this November, this one capturing the attention of environmentalists.
The city is proposing an increase in stormwater utility rates. Advocates say the funds will not only address management efforts, but flood prevention and water quality as well.
Co-founder of Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy Hans Hillbert grew up in nature.
“For most of my life, Pheasant Branch has been my front yard,” he said. “And, you know, looking back, I value that so much, that my role with the Friends of Pheasant Branch is to give back. And part of that is the advocacy work of our mission.”
Hillbert is one of many conservationists in the Middleton area encouraging voters to support cleaner water, better flood protection and fair cost distribution through an upcoming referendum.
“What the stormwater management utility is really responsible is making sure that that water that’s running off is cleaned up and slowed down before it gets to the conservancy, which allows our work of restoring the conservancy to increase plant diversity, provide wildlife habitat, expand the conservancy just that much more beneficial.”
Though residents currently pay around $45 annually in stormwater utility rates, a ‘no’ to the referendum in November means they will go back to paying around $15 annually.
“What we’re trying to do is make our stormwater utility more consistent with our water and sewer utilities,” she said. “Those charge customers for the amount of the utility, the service that they use. Right now, our stormwater utility does not do that.”
District six Alder Lisa Janairo says that will leave them with not nearly enough funds, pointing to the torrential rain that hit the city in 2018 and led to the increased rates.
“In order to avert that type of catastrophe in the future, we need to be able to invest in our stormwater resources,” she said. “There are a lot of properties that don’t pay any property taxes, such as schools, churches, even city properties. Our own airport, Middleton Municipal Airport, pays the stormwater fee, but they don’t pay for things like street sweeping or leaf pickup because that’s on the property taxes.”
Janairo says there is work to be done, but there won’t be enough resources to carry it out if voters reject the increase. She adds, if it passes, residents will pay around $55 annually, which includes the cost of services such as street sweeping and leaf collection.
“We estimated that with the increase in the fee, if it’s approved by the voters, and I hope it is, we’ll be able to take care of the backlog of maintenance projects in five years,” she said. “If we don’t get the increase, it will take 99 years to catch up on that work. And that’s just, it’s not tenable.”
More information on the referendum can be found here.
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