Posted: March 7, 2010 |(0) Comments

The two remaining candidates in the city of Brookfield's mayoral race said they think the town of Brookfield - or at least some parts of it - will become part of the city sooner rather than later.

Speaking during a forum in front of the Elmbrook Rotary Club on Friday, incumbent Jeff Speaker and Alderman Steve Ponto acknowledged the city's tense relationship with the town, and said town residents would benefit if the two governments eventually merged.

"I believe the end could be fairly close (for the town)," Speaker said.

Town's expenses a factor

Speaker, who is running for a third term, said the town has had to increase its tax rate in the last two years - the Town Board approved a 1.1 percent increase in 2009 and a 2.2 percent increase in 2010 - after years of artificially keeping the tax rate down. He said big-ticket items, such as road repairs and the need for fire engines or other new equipment, will continue to add to the town's expenses.

"It's starting to catch up with them," he said.

The city's tax rate increased by less than 1 percent this year and went up 2.9 percent from 2008 to 2009.

Ponto, who has been a 4th District alderman since 1998, cited the city's "long and difficult history with the town" in terms of border agreements, annexations and attempts to share services. He said a town is supposed to be a temporary municipal structure, and it would be in the best of interest of town residents to join with the city, which could provide a higher level of services.

Still, both candidates said they are willing to meet with town leaders to discuss issues and differences the municipalities have had in the past.

Town responds to comments

Town Administrator Rick Czopp took exception to the candidates' opinions about the town.

"Those comments really were inappropriate," he said in an interview Tuesday. "We have exactly the same services that they have, and to call us out like we're a second-rate town . . . We're not the ones who are in debt."

Czopp cited the town's paramedic-level Fire Department - which is staffed full time but employs part-time workers - and the full-time Police Department as comparable to the city's, and said the town's Fire Department even takes over responsibilities at the city's stations when the city seeks mutual aid.

Czopp also highlighted the fact that the town will be debt free in 2012, after it finishes paying off previous land purchases, the construction of the municipal building and some other outstanding expenses. He said the town's tax rate has increased just twice in the last six years, noting that four of those six years saw no increase in the property tax levy.

Czopp added the town has no plans for any major capital improvement projects, saying roads, town vehicles and other items are in good shape. "We don't foresee the need for future debt," he said.

In terms of boundary agreements and future annexation, Czopp pointed to a 2005 consultant's study that said the city and town should not merge unless town residents are willing to pay higher taxes for more services. The report also said the city and town could save money by consolidating some services, such as police and/or fire services and municipal court.

While the report did not explicitly look at border agreements, it encouraged the two municipalities to work together toward a border agreement. Czopp said the town has not heard word one about any potential border agreements.

Many of the other forum questions - the potential for a high-speed rail stop in Brookfield and opinions on a possible Interstate 94 interchange on Calhoun Road, for instance - are becoming well-worn ground for the candidates, but if there was an overarching theme to the event, it was dollars and cents.

Speaker said no candidate runs on the idea of raising taxes, but maintaining critical city services costs money. He said if he is re-elected, he will continue to "keep a handle" on Brookfield's expenses.

Ponto said he would like to keep taxes at the same level while maintaining services, and to do that, the city needs to take a hard look at its staffing.