Summary

Finance & Personnel Committee — Budget Amendment Day (Oct 31, 2025): committee amends proposed 2026 budget and forwards to Common Council

MilwaukeeOct 31, 20254 min read

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The Finance & Personnel Committee met Oct. 31, 2025 for Budget Amendment Day. Members considered the Mayor’s proposed 2026 budget, adopted numerous departmental and capital amendments (including library Sunday hours, down payment assistance, eviction prevention funding, wage and residency adjustments, and other program and footnote directives), and referred the amended budget and related ordinances/resolutions to the Common Council without recommendation. Committee changes increased the 2026 budget by approximately $10 million and raised the property tax levy by $3.8 million.

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FINANCE & PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

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LaborTransportationBudget & TaxPublic SafetyEducationCommerceEnvironmentalHousingUtilities

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Key decisions

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Committee approved Amendment 1E (omnibus) as amended, which included: restoring Library Sunday hours ($629,041), adding $800,000 for Down Payment Assistance, funding Eviction Free MKE ($100,000), creating an Innovation District Special Fund ($75,000), and adding $103,867 in borrowing for City Channel 25 cameras.
Committee approved increases/additions affecting wages and incentives: funding to provide a 3% wage increase for general city employees and increasing the residency incentive (committee actions referenced increases in wages/residency incentives and related Wages Supplement actions).
Committee approved creation/movement of new or separate entities via amendments: creation of a Department of Equity and Inclusion (Amendment 4 prevailed 3-2) and creation of a Department of Community Wellness and Safety (Amendment 11 prevailed 3-2).
Committee adopted multiple operational and reporting footnotes directing departments to take specified actions (examples: examine City/County purchasing collaborations; Budget Director to notify Council re Vehicle Registration Fee increases; IT to report on app usage and compile social media master list; Comptroller to develop fund balance policy and provide monthly special fund reports).
Committee added capital and housing program funding changes and directives, including adjustments to Partnerships in Affordable Ownership Housing and Alternative to Home Ownership initiatives and various housing capital amendments considered during the meeting.
Committee approved various Public Works and Transportation-related amendments and footnotes (examples: directing DPW to explore Streetcar fare collection planning, local street reconstruction funding proposals tied to Vehicle Registration Fee, tree-planting request option in MKE Mobile Action App, and coordination on sidewalk/lighting/streetlight circuit plans).
Committee approved a Water Works footnote to coordinate lead service lateral replacements with the Milwaukee Health Department (Amendment 102 prevailed 5-0).
Files 250001 (proposed 2026 budget), 250721 (Redevelopment Authority budget resolution), 250864 (charter ordinance), 250857 (ordinance), and 250861 (resolution) were REFERRED WITHOUT RECOMMENDATION AND ASSIGNED TO the Common Council.

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