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City presents proposed $2.07 billion 2026 budget; pension costs and fee increases drive gap
Summary
Budget director Nick Kovac and staff presented Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s proposed 2026 executive budget to the Common Council committee, outlining a $2.07 billion plan, a 3% levy increase and fee hikes to cover a gap largely driven by rising pension costs and recent contractual timing differences for public safety.
Alderman Marina Dimitrijevich, chairwoman of the Common Council committee, opened the hearing Friday and turned the presentation over to Nick Kovac, director of the Budget Management Division, to present Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s proposed 2026 executive budget for the city of Milwaukee.
Kovac said the total proposed 2026 budget is $2,070,000,000. About $1,580,000,000 of that is tax-levy supported; the proposed tax levy is $333,900,000, a 3% increase from 2025. Non-levy funds, including enterprise funds for water and sewer, grant-and-aid and settlement accounts, total about $484,900,000.
Why it matters: Kovac and council members emphasized that the budget gap this year was driven primarily by unexpectedly higher pension costs and the timing of contract settlements for city public safety employees. Kovac said the…
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