Committee holds line on funding for Racine Zoological Society

The city will extend its contract with the Racine Zoological Society through 2012, agreeing to pay the nonprofit organization $550,000 per year to run the Racine Zoo.

The nonprofit had sought a $100,000 year bump in 2011 and 2012 from the city. The request passed the License and Welfare Committee, but was tabled by the full City Council and sent to the Finance Committee for review.

The Finance Committee rejected the $100,000 increase over the last two years of the contract and voted to keep the payments at $550,000.

The Racine Zoological Society is a 501(c)3 organization that operates, but does not own, the zoo. At the end of 2005 the nonprofit reported net assets of $4.447 million.