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2027 Executive Budget

At a glance

  • What: The Mayor's proposed 2027 executive budget (Common Council File 260001), under review by the Finance & Personnel Committee.
  • Where it stands: Presented to the Council on September 22, referred to Finance & Personnel, and heard at a joint public hearing on October 5 that ran from 6:38 p.m. to 10:24 p.m. A second hearing is set for Saturday, October 17 at 9:30 a.m. at the Mitchell Library.
  • Update 2026-11-06: The Common Council amended and adopted the budget on November 6; see the Log.

Detail

  • Mayor Johnson made the budget presentation while the Council sat as a Committee of the Whole on September 22 (moved by Ald. Dimitrijevic; Ald. Coggs moved that the committee rise).
  • Ald. Dimitrijevic moved, without objection, that the budget be referred to the Finance & Personnel Committee, with its report to be submitted at a Common Council joint public hearing on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.
  • Under Chapter 18-04-6 of the City Charter, Ald. Dimitrijevic also moved, without objection, that Finance & Personnel hold a public hearing on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. at the Mitchell Library, and that the City Clerk publish the time and place.
  • October 5 joint public hearing: roll call found 14 present (Ald. Zamarripa excused). The President acknowledged the Mayor, Ald. Dimitrijevic, Comptroller Comptroller Christianson, City Attorney City Attorney Goyke, Treasurer Treasurer Coggs and Budget Director Budget Director Kovac. The list of people who registered and spoke is attached to Common Council File 260001 and is not reproduced in the minutes; written eComments are in File 260682.
  • Related fiscal items on September 22: the Comptroller's five-year fiscal forecast (File 260606) and the 2025 financial statement audit (File 260713) were placed on file, and File 260653 increasing the 2026 tax incremental borrowing authority was adopted 15-0. See East Tower Tax Incremental District.
  • Related on October 13: File 260751 (transfer and carryover of CLTF special fund 2026 money into 2027) and File 260776 (increasing reimbursable expenditure authority for departments) were adopted 13-0 on Finance & Personnel's recommendation.
  • The Finance & Personnel Committee's own hearing page is 2026-10-17 - Finance & Personnel Committee.

Sources

Log

2026-10-14 - Finance & Personnel Committee

All-day budget review of the Mayor's Office, Administration and its offices, Compliance and Engagement, and Community Wellness and Safety.

2026-10-15 - Finance & Personnel Committee

All-day budget review of Water Works and DPW (infrastructure, sewer, administration, operations, Transportation Fund). See Milwaukee Water Works Rate Increase and Transportation Fund Transfer and Parking Fee Increases.

2026-10-13 - Common Council

Finance & Personnel items tied to the 2027 plan adopted (CLTF carryover into 2027, reimbursable expenditure authority).

2026-10-05 - Common Council

Joint public hearing on the Mayor's proposed 2027 executive budget, 6:38 p.m. to 10:24 p.m.

2026-09-22 - Common Council

Mayor Johnson presented the budget; referred to Finance & Personnel; hearings set for October 5 and October 17.

2026-10-29 - Finance & Personnel Committee Meeting

Budget amendment day. Amendment 1 (Ald. Spiker) passed 5-0 (library Sunday hours, street lights, wages supplement, $6 million borrowing for High Impact Paving in place of a $5 million transfer). Proposed budget rose from $2.261 billion to $2.266 billion; levy from $341.412 million to $345.3 million. Budget and related items referred to the Council without recommendation, 5-0. Council adoption is scheduled for November 6 (see 2026-11-04 - Common Council for the preceding meeting).

2026-11-06 - Common Council

Budget (File 260001) amended and adopted. Amendment 1 passed 14-1 (Ald. Zamarripa no); later amendments 15-0. RACM 2027 budget (File 260654) and the 2027 tax-rate resolution (File 260763) adopted 15-0, along with fee ordinances (Files 260765, 260767 to 260772), the Tax Stabilization Fund item (File 260753) and budget implementation items (Files 260748, 260750). Dollar totals and levy not yet extracted.

2026-10-05 - Finance & Personnel Committee

  • Budget hearings for Deferred Compensation, the Employes' Retirement System (proposed $273.4 million) and the Health Department.

2026-10-02 - Finance & Personnel Committee

  • 2027 budget hearings for the City Attorney, Treasurer, Comptroller, City Clerk, City Assessor and Municipal Court (proposed budgets of $9.7 million for the City Attorney, $6.6 million for the Comptroller and $13.4 million for the City Clerk); debate over the Municipal Court's three branches and the Tax Stabilization Fund withdrawal.

2026-10-12 - Finance & Personnel Committee

  • 2027 budget hearings for Police (proposed about $34 million higher, 50 grant-funded officers), Emergency Communications ($25.8 million, down 5.2%), Fire ($172.9 million, up about 5%) and the Fire and Police Commission ($6.1 million, up nearly 12%).

2026-10-13 - Finance & Personnel Committee

  • 2027 budget hearings for the Milwaukee Public Library (proposed increase of about 4.4%, drive-up checkout eliminated, Sunday hours at Central plus two branches) and the Department of Employee Relations (healthcare accounts up 4%, medical premiums up 6%).