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Brown Deer adopts 2026 budget, approves fee and rate increases including recycling, stormwater and sewer
Summary
The Village of Brown Deer adopted the 2026 annual budget, setting a proposed levy of 3.7% (down from 3.99% proposed) and approved multiple fee and rate measures — recycling/yard waste service charges, stormwater and sanitary sewer rate increases, street lighting assessments and an updated schedule of fees — mostly by unanimous roll call votes.
The Village of Brown Deer Board of Trustees adopted the 2026 annual budget and a series of related fee and rate changes on Tuesday, approving the levy and multiple service charge resolutions after a public hearing.
Staff presented a brief budget summary during the hearing, saying the village scaled back an earlier proposed levy increase from 3.99% to a 3.7% recommendation because of stronger-than-anticipated intergovernmental revenue, including hotel room taxes and cable franchise fees. Staff said property taxes make up about 60% of village revenues and that the village portion of an illustrative $250,000 home’s property tax is about 37% of the bill.
Key budget drivers noted in the presentation included a roughly 13% increase in the debt service fund tied to capital projects such as the library and a public works facility. Staff also pointed to increased building‑permit revenue because of local development, a modest COLA approach and a vacancy factor retained at 0.5. North Shore Fire assessment was highlighted as a major outside driver, rising about 3.98%.
Trustees then considered a set of rate and fee resolutions. The board approved:
- Resolution 25-19, assessing 2026 service charges for recycling and yard waste collection on residential units; - Resolution 25-20, establishing 2026 stormwater rates (staff noted an unexpected capital need and planned use of stormwater fund balance for an emergency 47th Street replacement project); - Resolution 25-21, establishing 2026 sanitary sewer rates primarily to cover borrowing for public works projects; - Grouped resolutions g–m assessing electric energy and maintenance for seven street‑lighting districts; and - Resolution 25-29, adopting a schedule of fees for village services (public works‑related changes and an unchanged $100 recycling center violation fee were noted).
During the budget discussion Trustee Owens flagged the increase of a specific refuse/recycling charge from $80 to $140 and urged caution, saying trustees must be “cognizant” of rate impacts on residents. Staff responded that the fee had not been updated in more than a decade, that recent refuse/recycling contract terms and tonnage changes affected costs, and that the fund had operated under a deficit in recent years; staff recommended more frequent fee reviews to avoid large single increases.
After closing the public hearing, the board adopted resolution 25-17 to set the 2026 budget and establish the 2025 property tax levy. All fee and rate measures were approved by roll call, and the meeting adjourned at 7:02 p.m.
The budget and fee schedules will be reflected in final public documents; staff said the detailed market and budget materials will be made available for public review.
