Jurisdictions »

Madison

We evaluated each city’s budget based on a full set of criteria as developed in the Reform/Transform toolkit in collaboration with policy experts and advocates. We assessed expenditures on policing and corrections compared to some of the resources and programs that truly keep communities safe: jobs programs, mental health services, and youth development programs. In each city, we looked at both the total operating budget and the general fund budget because each provides useful information: the general fund is the most discretionary part of a jurisdiction’s budget, over which local elected officials have most influence; the total budget shows all sources of funding.

City Data

  • 248,856 Total Population
  • 18.3% Poverty status in the past 12 months
  • 447 No. of Police
Sources »
  • $315 Per capita police and corrections total spending

Racial and Ethnic Demographics

  • 7% Latinx
  • 6.5% Black/African American
  • 74.5% White, non-Hispanic
  • 8.8% Asian
  • 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
  • 0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
  • 1.9% Some other race
  • 3.5% 2 or more races

Methodology

Center for Popular Democracy researchers evaluated each city’s budget based on a full set of criteria as developed in the Reform/Transform toolkit in collaboration with policy experts and advocates. We assessed expenditures on policing and corrections compared to some of the resources and programs that truly keep communities safe: jobs programs, mental health services, and youth development programs. In each city, we looked at both the total operating budget and the general fund budget

because each provides useful information: the general fund is the most discretionary part of a jurisdiction’s budget, over which local elected officials have most influence; the total budget shows all sources of funding. In some jurisdictions, the total operating budget and total departmental budgets included capital funds; we noted whether or not the budget analysis for each jurisdiction includes capital funds. Read more »

Reform/Transform is a project of Local Progress, a movement of local elected officials advancing a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of local government. We are elected leaders who build power with underrepresented communities, share bold ideas and policy among our network, and fight to reshape what is possible in our localities all across the country.

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