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Finance Committee reviews 2026 operating budget assumptions, timeline and hybrid meeting plan for amendment votes
Summary
Finance staff presented the 2026 operating budget ‘cost to continue’ baseline, technical adjustments that reduced projected expenditures, supplemental requests, and amendment deadlines; committee decided to use hybrid format for amendment meetings and virtual briefings for capital presentations.
Finance Department staff on Aug. 25 briefed the Finance Committee on the 2026 operating budget assumptions, agency requests, technical corrections and the legislative timeline for capital and operating budget amendments.
Christine (Finance Department staff) summarized the process that sets a ‘cost to continue’ baseline, noted a June projection of a roughly $6.2 million structural gap, and described technical adjustments since the June presentation that reduced benefit and other cost assumptions, producing a net savings of about $1.9 million compared with earlier projections. Staff said a projected increase to the Metro Transit subsidy is included in planning (roughly $6.5 million) and that two additional elections next year increase clerk office costs. Agencies submitted supplemental requests totaling roughly $1.8 million for 2026 (with an annualized cost of about $3.4 million) in items such as new facility operations and program restorations.
On revenues and state aid, staff said the current expenditure estimate (after technical adjustments) keeps the city within the state’s expenditure restraint threshold that would qualify the city for an estimated $7 million in state aid for 2026; staff provided figures showing a current general‑fund expenditures estimate of about $378.8 million and a qualifying maximum near $380.4 million, subject to final actions and any added supplements.
Staff walked committee members through where to find agency request materials on the city website (cityofmadison.com/budget), described the upcoming capital briefing schedule (beginning Sept. 8), and explained amendment procedures and deadlines: capital amendment ideas should be flagged with staff by Sept. 24 (for publication Sept. 26), finance committee operating amendments by Oct. 22, the executive operating budget will be introduced Oct. 7, and common council amendments are due Nov. 5 (published Nov. 6). Finance staff urged alders to engage agency staff early when drafting amendments to confirm program capacity and operating impacts.
On meeting format, the committee discussed whether to hold briefings and amendment votes in person, hybrid or fully virtual. Members generally favored hybrid amendment meetings (in‑person amendment meetings with virtual options) and virtual briefings; the committee directed staff to proceed with virtual capital and operating briefings and hybrid amendment/vote meetings on the scheduled dates.
Committee members asked for clarifications about library revenue adjustments, fleet rate changes and the treatment of grant‑funded positions transitioning to levy funding (example: COPS grant positions). Staff answered that library changes related to partnership formulas with Dane County, fleet rate changes were due to operating cost factors, and the police COPS grant transition had been previously discussed and treated as a cost‑to‑continue adjustment given prior council direction.
Next steps: capital briefings begin Sept. 8; executive operating budget introduced Oct. 7; finance committee will consider amendments on Sept. 29 (capital) and Oct. 27 (operating) with subsequent council consideration in November.
