Public Health Madison & Dane County proposes cost-to-continue 2026 budget; requests 17% licensed‑establishment fee increase for three years
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Summary
Janelle Heinrich told the joint city–county finance meeting the public health levy is shared 56% county / 44% city; the department seeks to achieve a 4% reduction directed by the county executive while proposing a 17% increase in licensed-establishment fees to be applied for three years to make the program fee-supported.
Public Health Madison & Dane County presented a cost-to-continue 2026 executive operating budget to the joint City Finance Committee and Dane County Personnel and Finance Committee on Oct. 13. The department said its levy is shared 56% by Dane County and 44% by the City of Madison and that remaining revenue comes from grants, fees and smaller sources.
“Though you’ll see some changes in the services that we present to you as in the county … that has no change on services we deliver,” Janelle Heinrich, Public Health director, told the committees, explaining the department worked to meet a county directive to submit a budget with about 4% less levy support. Heinrich said the department identified approximately $537,000 in reductions, including cuts to county-only contracts, well-water testing changes, LTE/hourly wages and reduced travel and training.
Public Health also asked to increase licensed-establishment fees by 17% and to hold that level for three years, saying the program must be entirely fee-supported and the increase covers staff salaries, step increases and promotions that drive program costs. Bonnie Armstrong, who works in the licensed-establishment program, said the state separately is increasing its own fees about 1% per year; the department’s requested 17% increase is intended to cover local costs and catch up after prior years without full increases.
“We last did this in 2023 with a 20% increase, and we are asking to increase 17% for the next three years to support that program,” Heinrich said. Armstrong explained the 20% increase in 2023 followed an eight-year period during which the department did not raise fees and that the 17% request is intended as a multiyear, administratively efficient step to cover costs through 2026–28.
Committee members asked about pandemic-era project positions. Heinrich said the department created 19 project positions during the pandemic; currently about 8.5 of those positions remain funded with pandemic-era fund balance, and the department expects to continue funding them in the short term. Alder Aldo Rivera asked about unassigned fund balance; Heinrich said the department projects roughly $10,000,000 unassigned at the end of 2025 and estimated it would not fall much below about $8,000,000 under the proposed budget.
Heinrich said the department proposes targeted fee increases and program reductions to meet the county’s reduction directive while preserving core services.
