When residents of the city and town of Verona vote for or against consolidation Tuesday, they will decide which city they want to control the land in future generations.

Supporters say a "yes" vote will save the town of Verona from eventual annexation by Madison -- a frequent occurrence in recent years -- and potentially Fitchburg. Consolidation would require all the bordering municipalities to adopt definitive land boundary agreements.

Many of those advocating "no" votes are rural town residents concerned about taxes.

They say the initial tax increase that town residents would suffer during conversion is not worth it. Also, some say a change in bureaucracy may mean a higher demand for services and thus future tax increases.

If there are a majority of "yes" votes separately in both the city and the town, the municipalities will become one on Jan. 1.

Under a tentative agreement with Madison officials, much of the land north of County PD now in the town of Verona would become part of the city of Madison in 30 to 40 years, with the option of allowing landowners to apply for immediate annexation into Madison.

Bill Keen, a town of Verona resident who plans to vote for consolidation, said the town must act now to gain control and save its land from future annexation -- a legal action that allows a city to take over portions of a town.

"Give us some control," Keen said. "If we don't, it's like handing our life off to someone else."

Madison and the city of Verona have annexed close to 2,000 acres since 2001, and while the city of Fitchburg has not significantly pushed out its western boundary, it could do so in the future.

Towns have little recourse under state law to keep cities from taking over their land, but a city cannot annex parts of another city.

Consolidate to save?

Keen says that over time, consolidation could end up saving the town money.

"We're not going to be gaining any tax base in the town of Verona," he said. "We're just going to keep losing it and will have to pay for the same expenses."

In a letter to the weekly Verona Press, however, town resident Howard Gust said higher taxes wouldn't be worth it.

"Present city of Verona residents will probably see lower taxes for a couple of years after a merger. But what happens when the former town residents want brush pickup, more police patrols and other city services?" Gust wrote. "If rural area residents are asked to pay higher city taxes, they are going to want services to go with it. Everyone's taxes will rise."

Dane County Board Supervisor Mike Willett, who represents both the city and the town of Verona, said the reality of the tax increases is unknown.

"The tax burdens might happen, but they're projected by an accountant sitting at a desk," said Willett, who supports consolidation. "Taxes are going to be determined by the new city council that would be put together."

Some residents are also concerned about land development north of County PD that would eventually become Madison.

If consolidation is passed, Madison would be allowed to regulate building on the rural land and prepare it for when the property turns into Madison.

According to a summary draft of the boundary agreement, Madison would benefit because it would secure a right to grow and ensure that the land does not develop inconsistently with Madison's long-term growth.

School impact

In the interim, Verona residents are also concerned that growth in the area could overwhelm the Verona Area School District.

To address abnormal student population growth, the boundary agreement would provide Madison developers with density and pacing restrictions.

Madison could not approve more than 100 housing building permits within Verona's school district per year.

Also, it cannot approve more than 12 units per acre for some lands west of County M. The rest is no more than 16 units per acre, except for residential development on Shady Oak Lane, which is no more than four units.

Shawn Murphy, Verona's city administrator, said all these small restrictions will allow for a smoother transition and better planning.

"The benefit of knowing the longtime boundaries of the municipality will give the opportunity to plan better for the long range," he said.