🗳️ Absentee ballot boxes are open

🗳️ Bring On the Ballots Boxes

• Madison’s absentee ballot drop boxes are now open and are ready for August primary ballots. These boxes will allow voters to avoid possible delays when mailing back ballots.
• The new QR codes on the revamped boxes allow voters to track their absentee ballots through MyVote Wisconsin. There are 14 boxes located around the Madison area.
• Listen up: Everything you need to know for the August primary.
• Related: How can I cast my vote? [City of Madison, City Cast Madison 🎧, Madison Minutes]

🛣️ Road Closures for Your Radar

• Expect road closures on Wilson Street Thursday as the city continues construction in the area.
• Once work is completed by Thursday afternoon, traffic will be switched to the (newly paved!) lane and the other side of the street will close for similar work. [City of Madison]

💵 What Could City Budget Cuts Mean?

• Different Madison agencies shared their proposals for the 2025 budget with options for a 5% cost reduction. If all of these changes are adopted, it would eliminate 147 positions in addition to leaving 144 vacant positions empty.
• The potential budget cuts would take place if a proposed property tax referendum is not approved. Some cuts include eliminating evening and Sunday hours at libraries (saving roughly $764,899), cutting aquatic and ice rink park programs ($700,122 combined), reducing night and weekend transit for metro services, and much more.
• City Council will consider a referendum solution later this month. Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway will announce her proposed Executive Operating Budget on Oct. 8.
• Dig deeper: Have more questions on Madison’s budget? Look no further! [City of Madison, City Cast Madison 🎧]

⬆️ Last Week’s Answer

This cool mosaic “coffee house” sign can be found outside Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse.

🥳 63 of you answered this one correctly, but the quickest was Frieda G. Congratulations!

⬇️ This Week’s Clues

Where do you think this picture was taken? A few hints:

• This is a great spot to get food or coffee.
• It is located on Willy Street.
• Other restaurants get ingredients from this spot.

Why We Need to Talk about the Imagination Center

After years of planning and community input, the future of the $18.6 million, 16,000-square-foot “Imagination Center” at Reindahl Park is in limbo. With the city facing a potential multimillion-dollar budget deficit, the project has received little attention — District 17 Ald. Sabrina Madison is trying to change that. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin spoke with Madison about why the center is so desperately needed and what this process has shown about the city’s priorities.