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Waukesha council adopts $160 annual garbage and recycling fee after public pushback
Summary
After a lengthy public comment period and council debate, the Waukesha Common Council voted 9–5 to adopt a resolution creating a $160 annual residential garbage and recycling fee and move the services into a special revenue fund; unpaid fees can be rolled onto property tax bills with a November 7 due date for 2026.
The Waukesha Common Council voted 9–5 to adopt a resolution creating an annual $160 residential garbage and recycling fee and move those costs out of the general fund into a special revenue fund.
City Administrator Tony Brown said the fee is intended to stabilize the city’s budget amid long-term levy limits and rising personnel and service costs. "The garbage and recycling fee will be a flat annual user-based charge moved from the general fund to a dedicated special revenue fund," Brown said, adding the fee is set at $160 per city-issued cart or $160 per address for manual service.
Finance Director Joe Sherrill presented projections showing a structural deficit beginning in 2027 that the administration said the fee will materially reduce. Brown told the council the proposal would reduce the property tax levy by about $2,000,000 and allow the city to plan for 2026 and 2027 without cutting core services.
Multiple residents and landlords urged the council to reject the fee during public comment, saying it will be passed to tenants and worsen affordability. Mike Walsh called the plan a "shell game," arguing the levy will not truly fall for many taxpayers. Small landlords described out-of-pocket increases they said could exceed $1,000 annually for multiunit properties.
Council members debated trade-offs. Alderman Paul Piper, who moved the resolution, and several colleagues said the fee is a tool to avoid deeper cuts to police, fire and other services; opponents warned that further user fees or cuts could follow if revenues fall short.
The city attorney explained legal mechanics: the fee applies only to properties receiving city-contracted trash service, is billed to property owners, and — because special charges cannot be paid in installments under state law — the resolution sets a due date and allows unpaid charges to be added to the property tax bill. For 2026 the due date was changed to November 7 to satisfy public-notice publication requirements.
The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Alderman Paul Piper and seconded by Alderman Moulton. The mayor announced the motion passed by a 9–5 vote.
Administration said staff will publish notice of the charge, create a special revenue fund, and begin community conversations (surveys, workshops and focus groups) in the first half of next year to discuss service priorities and future changes.
