Supervisor Gantz presents lean 2026 Kenosha County budget, highlights capital projects and modest levy increase

Supervisor Gantz presented the county executive’s proposed 2026 budget and called it "in my 18 years of getting budgets, this is the leanest one I've got." He thanked finance staff and department leaders for work to reduce costs and prepare the proposal.

The presentation listed a general purpose levy of $80,095,008.11, a 2.96% increase from 2025. Supervisor Gantz said that, for a house with an assessed value of $300,000, the tax change would equal about $9.70 annually. He reported a ten‑year average equalized value increase of about 8.49% and noted a 12% decrease in the mill rate compared with recent years.

Gantz reviewed personnel and operating changes: a net reduction of approximately 6.95 FTEs (described in the presentation as a reduction of 695 FTE‑dollars, referenced as "minus 809 $95,000" in the transcript); two FTEs added that are fully funded from non‑levy sources; increases in county personnel…