Milwaukee Mayor Proposes $2.26 Billion Budget With Tax Hikes

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson presented a $2.26 billion spending plan for the 2027 budget on September 22, 2026. The proposal prioritizes infrastructure and public safety, specifically targeting road repairs, the construction of a new public library at Midtown Center, the reopening of a fire station, and the addition of three full classes of police officers.

To fund these initiatives, Johnson proposed a 2% increase in the property tax levy. The plan also includes several fee hikes: doubling overnight parking permit fees to $110, increasing downtown parking meter rates to $3 per hour, and raising parking ticket costs by $10.

Johnson attributed the city's financial constraints and structural imbalances to 15 years of Republican control of the Wisconsin State Legislature. He argued that state-regulated revenue limits and frozen shared revenue have deprived the city of billions of dollars. City Comptroller Bill Christianson supported this assessment, noting that current expenditures are outpacing projected revenues.

The budget now moves to the Milwaukee Common Council's Finance and Personnel Committee for review.