Erik Paulson's blog

It's been 16 years. It's time to raise Madison Metro fares.

A raise from $2 to $2.50 would help Madison find the money to staff the Imagination Center and the new homeless shelter

Sep 25 • 

Erik Paulson

The Wisconsin Expenditure Restraint Program is the 2nd-dumbest municipal funding program and everyone involved should feel bad

What is the State of Wisconsin’s Expenditure Restraint Program and why is it stupid?

Sep 21 • 

Erik Paulson

June 2024

Madison’s Budget Challenge, Part 4: We should do a City of Madison budget referendum. Here’s how.

The final post of the series, let’s look ahead to a potential operating referendum.

Jun 13, 2024 • 

Erik Paulson

Madison’s Budget Challenge Part 3: How the 2023 $31M budget surplus is actually bad news

The third of a four part series and a bit shorter than the first two, in this post I’ll explain why Madison’s $31M surplus from 2023 was bad news for…

Jun 11, 2024 • 

Erik Paulson

Madison’s Budget Challenge, Part 2: Augustine’s 16th Law and future budgets, or Clickbait: How F-35s and the Madison Police Department share…

The second entry in a four-part series, this post looks at what happens to the City of Madison’s structural budget deficit over the next 35 years if we…

Jun 4, 2024 • 

Erik Paulson

Madison’s Budget Challenge, Part 1: The most important budget number is not actually in the budget

The first in a multipart series, getting into the weeds of the upcoming 2025 City of Madison budget and the structural deficit.

Jun 3, 2024 • 

Erik Paulson

Madison’s Budget Challenges: A four part series

Coming this week, starting Monday (I hope)

Jun 3, 2024 • 

Erik Paulson

April 2024

Creating new Single Family Homes in Madison: The power is with Veridian, not Mayor Satya and the City

Since 2009, Veridian has built 68% of the new single family homes in Madison, more than twice as much as everyone else combined. I built a web map app…

Apr 25, 2024 • 

Erik Paulson

December 2023

Madison's City Budget, Levy Limits, and Bond Reoffering Premiums: More than you wanted to know

Trying to explain what Paul Soglin is talking about

Dec 4, 2023 • 

Erik Paulson

September 2023

Should Madison create a new Affordable Housing Task Force?

Returning to blogging in the nerdiest and most Madison way possible: should we make a new city committee or use an existing one?

Sep 27, 2023 • 

Erik Paulson

January 2014

Eight Ideas for a Snowy Day

From the archives, but here are a couple of ideas that could make life better for the less well-off in Madison

Jan 26, 2014 • 

Erik Paulson

September 2013

How should the Yahara River Parkway between Lakes Mendota and Monona evolve?

From the archives, but how do we make Madison's Third Coast something special?

Sep 29, 2013 • 

Erik Paulson