Councilman 'Dismayed' by Budget Letter Rebuttal

Republican Councilman Don Links sent the following letter to Madison Patch saying he was "dismayed" by Democratic council candidate and former Councilwoman Astri Baillie's response to

Baillie and her running mate Ben Wolkowitz , saying they had ample time to reach consensus.

Baillie's response appears in a Madison Eagle story about the exchange, where she is quoted as saying Links' and Catalanello's letter was an "unseemly partisan attack" on her record and "a perfect illustration of why we need a change in the governing body of Madison."

She said their characterization of tax increases and borough spending while she was a council member distorts the facts, and that she and running mate Ben Wolkowitz would address the issues in the future.

I am dismayed by the response to Councilman Catalanello and my rebuttal from Ms. Baillie. The facts cannot be ignored. In times of financial crisis, budget debates are seldom cordial, but the process must endure. Madison ’s current fiscal position is unacceptable and so is this game playing which suggests otherwise to the public. I voted against the budget because it does not address the difficult choices that must be made to get our finances in order.

In an attempt to once again shift focus from the real issue, Madison’s current fiscal position, Ms. Baillie claims that my response to their joint release is itself an ‘unseemly partisan attack’, yet provide no details to dispute the documented, out of control spending that characterized Ms Baillie’s tenure on council. I am happy to give Ms. Baillie and Mr. Wolkowitz all the time they require to address the facts. I trust that they will recognize the tax increases and give an honest accounting of spending decisions made by Ms Baillie and her party when they held a majority on council. Hopefully, they will not try to pass the buck or blame others for these decisions, especially not dedicated municipal employees.

As a nine-year borough council veteran, Ms. Baillie is aware that in our form of municipal government the council votes, not the Mayor or Borough staff, so the responsibility for ‘asking the hard questions, exploring the options, and making difficult decisions’ falls on the council. Perhaps Ms Baillie and Mr Wolkowitz should visit Livesy Park, purchased by the Borough in 2006 for $1,800,000 (not including the cost for demolishing buildings and removal of debris), to ponder their response. It is a little known, very quiet, seldom used or visited place, unlike the Madison Recreation Complex or Madison Community Gardens which are constantly bristling with activity.

Don Links