Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Tax Levy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Menomonee Falls board adopts 2026 budget, raises levy 18¢ to fund roads and two police officers
Summary
The Menomonee Falls Village Board unanimously adopted a 2026 operating budget that raises the tax rate 18¢ — directing $1,000,000 to street resurfacing and reallocating $300,000 from the library levy to fund two police officers; the package also holds water, sewer and stormwater rates flat.
The Menomonee Falls Village Board unanimously approved an ordinance adopting the 2026 operating budget and tax levy following a brief public hearing on Nov. 17.
Village Manager Mark Fitzgerald, who presented the budget, said the operating budget increases 2.3% while the tax levy rises 5.8%. "The board did choose to raise the tax rate by 18¢ this year, to really use 14¢ of that to separate out $1,000,000 for street resurfacing," Fitzgerald said, adding that other portions of the increase reflect reductions in state transportation aids.
Fitzgerald told trustees that the shift includes personnel changes: two full‑time police officers will be added, the village will hire an IT manager and an HR analyst position will be converted to a finance analyst. He said $300,000 was moved from the library levy into the general levy to help fund the two police hires. He also noted the SAFER grant that funded 14 firefighters — about $5,000,000 — will phase out in August 2026 and that staff planned for that transition.
Fitzgerald summarized other budget details: garbage and recycling charges will increase about 3% year‑over‑year, while water, sewer and stormwater rates will remain flat for 2026. He said the organization pays roughly $3,500,000 for health insurance and the village is moving to a self‑insured plan to manage those costs.
Trustee Paul Tada, supporting the measure, cited resident complaints about road conditions and the need to prioritize public safety and street maintenance. "There's over 200 miles of roads in the village that need to be maintained," he said, and he praised staff for producing what he called a restrained budget while addressing core priorities.
The ordinance adopting the budget was moved by Trustee Paul Tada, seconded by Trustee Joel Stuhland and passed unanimously. The board will make the full budget document available at the library and the clerk's office and on the village website, as Fitzgerald noted during the presentation.
Next steps: with the ordinance adopted, staff will begin implementing the approved spending and personnel adjustments for 2026 and proceed with the planned resurfacing program.
