Budget preview highlights $97 million gap
At a glance
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The committee heard a preview of the 2027 mayoral budget and was told the gap is $97 million. It also advanced several spending and staffing measures, including insurance requests, a claims fund transfer of up to $1.5 million, and pay and position ordinance changes.
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Topics discussed
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What this means
The biggest item was a preview of the 2027 budget, which showed a $97 million shortfall. Members discussed possible ways to close it, including using reserve funds, adjusting fees, and cutting or shifting spending. The committee also moved forward on insurance coverage, claims funding, a reimburseable services fund increase, a health grant, and several pay and position updates. One audit related to Milwaukee Police Department technology controls was reviewed in closed session and then recommended to be placed on file.
Key decisions
Follow the major takeaways from this briefing.
- Held the 2027 budget communication for the call of the chair.
- Recommended placing the Milwaukee Police Department IT controls audit on file after closed session review.
- Held the municipal court cash controls audit for the call of the chair.
- Recommended adoption of the stop loss insurance RFP for the City’s medical and prescription health plan.
- Recommended adoption of the workers’ compensation plan administration RFP.
- Recommended placing the Deferred Compensation Plan auto-escalation communication on file.
- Recommended adoption of the resolution reserving and appropriating up to $1,500,000 for damages and claims settlements.
- Amended and then recommended adoption of the StriveTogether Policy Summit reimbursement resolution.
- Recommended adoption of the increase in reimbursable expenditure authority in the Reimbursable Services Advance Fund.
- Approved the Department of Administration vacancy requests, fund transfers, and equipment requests communication.
- Placed the single or sole source contract waiver communication on file.
- Recommended placing the classification studies communications on file.
- Recommended placing the bridge operator pay increase communication on file.
- Recommended placing the clerical and administrative corrections communication on file.
- Recommended adoption of the 2026-2027 Wisconsin Well Woman Program grant resolution.
- Recommended adoption of the travel authorization resolution.
- Recommended passage of the ordinance further amending 2026 rates of pay.
- Recommended passage of the ordinance further amending 2026 offices and positions.
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Meeting information
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FINANCE & PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
This is also a virtual meeting. Those wishing to view the proceedings are able to do so via the City Channel - Channel 25 on Spectrum Cable - or on the Internet at http://city.milwaukee.gov/citychannel.
Agenda
- Communication from the Mayor relating to the proposed 2027 budget.
- Communication relating to the Milwaukee Police Department Information Technology General Controls Audit Report.
- Communication relating to an audit of Municipal Court cash controls.
- Substitute resolution authorizing the Department of Employee Relations to issue a request for proposal for Stop Loss Insurance for the City’s medical and prescription health plan.
- Substitute resolution authorizing the Department of Employee Relations to issue a request for proposal for the administration of the City’s Workers’ Compensation Benefits Plan.
- Communication from the Deferred Compensation Plan relating to the Auto-Escalation Program.
- Resolution reserving and appropriating up to $1,500,000 from the 2026 Common Council Contingent Fund to the 2026 Damages and Claims Fund Special Purpose Account for resolutions related to settlements of lawsuits and/or claims.
- Substitute resolution authorizing reimbursement for attendance at the StriveTogether Policy Summit.
- Resolution relating to increasing the reimbursable expenditure authority for the Department of Public Works, Department of Administration, Department of City Development, and the Health Department in the Reimbursable Services Advance Fund.
- 10:30 AM
- Communication from the Department of Administration - Budget and Management Analysis Division regarding vacancy requests, fund transfers and equipment requests.
- Communication from the Department of Administration informing the Finance and Personnel Committee of waivers granted for certain single or sole source contracts or contract amendments.
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations relating to classification studies scheduled for Fire and Police Commission action.
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations relating to classification studies scheduled for City Service Commission action.
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations amending the Salary Ordinance to add a percentage increase for Bridge Operator and Bridge Operator - Lead assigned to work on the bridge maintenance crew.
- Communication from the Department of Employee Relations amending the Salary and Positions Ordinances relating to clerical or administrative corrections.
- Substitute resolution relative to acceptance and funding of the 2026-2027 Wisconsin Well Woman Program grant from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
- Substitute resolution authorizing attendance at conventions, seminars and other travel.
- A substitute ordinance to further amend the 2026 rates of pay of offices and positions in the City Service.
- A substitute ordinance to further amend the 2026 offices and positions in the City Service.
- This meeting will be webcast live at www.milwaukee.gov/channel25.
- NOTA: Para los clientes de cable de Spectrum que deseen ver subtítulos en español, ya están disponibles en el Canal de la Ciudad. En su control remoto de cable Spectrum, presione “MENÚ.” Seleccione “SUBTÍTULOS/CAPTIONS.” Use la flecha hacia abajo hasta “ESTÁNDAR/STANDARD,” luego use la flecha hacia arriba y cambie a “CC3.”
- In the event that Common Council members who are not members of this committee attend this meeting, this meeting may also simultaneously constitute a meeting of the Common Council or any of the following committees: Community and Economic Development, Finance and Personnel, Judiciary and Legislation, Licenses, Public Safety and Health, Public Works, Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development, and/or Steering and Rules. Whether a simultaneous meeting is occurring depends on whether the presence of one or more of the Common Council member results in a quorum of the Common Council or any of the above committees, and, if there is a quorum of another committee, whether any agenda items listed above involve matters within that committee’s realm of authority. In the event that a simultaneous meeting is occurring, no action other than information gathering will be taken at the simultaneous meeting. Times for specific agenda items are estimations. If items cannot be heard at their specified times, they will be heard as soon as practicable thereafter.
- Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities through sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids. For assistance contact the Legislative Services ADA Coordinator at 286-2998, (FAX)286-3456, (TDD)286-2025 or by writing to Room 205, City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
- City Hall and the Zeidler Municipal Building are accessible by "The Hop" City Hall Stations, the MCTS Green Line, Connect 1, 14, 15, 18, 19, 30, 33, and 57 bus routes. Visit https://www.ridemcts.com/ for more information. Bike racks are available on Water Street, Market Street, and Broadway, and a Bublr Bike Share station is located on the northeast corner of Kilbourn Avenue and Water Street. Limited parking for persons attending meetings during normal business hours is available at reduced rates (5 hour limit) at the Associated Bank River Center on the southwest corner of Kilbourn Avenue and Water Street. You must present a copy of the meeting notice to the parking cashier.
- Persons engaged in lobbying as defined in s. 305-43-4 of the Milwaukee Code are required to register with the City Clerk's License Division. Lobbyists appearing before a Common Council committee are required to identify themselves as such. More information is available at http://city.milwaukee.gov/Lobbying.
- Meeting convened at 9:18 a.m.
- Also present:
- Meeting adjourned at 11:51 a.m. Chris Lee, Staff Assistant Council Records Section City Clerk's Office
- This meeting can be viewed in its entirety through the City's Legislative Research Center at http://milwaukee.legistar.com/calendar.
- Substitute resolution authorizing reimbursement for attendance at the StriveTogether Policy Summit.
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