Village of Franklin council approves 3.4-mill police services millage for August ballot

The Village of Franklin Council on April 22 approved language to place a proposed police services millage of up to 3.4 mills on the Aug. 4, 2026 ballot, with the measure set to run for five years if voters approve it.

President Goldberg led the discussion, saying the village faces a structural funding shortfall and that a separate police millage is one way to ensure sustainable funding. "There's really two ways that we're looking at it," Goldberg said, framing the choice between a single-source millage and a hybrid model that combines millage and general-fund support.

The council heard an extended public-comment period in which residents including Nina Downing and Rick Kozlowski urged council to support the full funding request. "I strongly support the maximum amount that is requested," Nina Downing said. Rick Kozlowski said a separate millage would help "ensure our continued protection." Former Franklin chief Dan Roberts told council it would be "much cleaner if the police department budget is taken out of the general fund, and all of it is funded by a separate millage."

Council members debated options ranging from the full 4-mill proposal previously discussed to smaller or hybrid approaches. Trustee Farris and others warned that a very low millage could leave the department underfunded later; other members raised concern that a very large, unrestricted surplus could be redirected by a future council. Staff and the village administrator provided projections showing how different millage levels would affect annual revenues and projected surpluses.

After debate the council adopted a motion, amended on the floor, to place the following language on the August ballot: "Shall the Village of Franklin be authorized to levy an increase of up to 3.4 mills ($3.40 per $1,000 of taxable value) on all taxable property within the village for five years, beginning in 2027 and expiring in 2031, which if fully levied by the village council would raise up to an estimated $1,675,121 in the first year?" The text specifies the levy is "for the purpose of providing police protection and services, including but not limited to police operations and personnel costs, recruitment and training, police vehicles and equipment, technology and communications systems, building and facility improvements, capital improvements, and payment of unfunded accrued pension liabilities and other post-employment benefit obligations related to police personnel." The proposal replaces the village's existing police millage currently levied at about 0.3711 mills.

On the roll-call vote to place the measure on the ballot, the council voted 7-0 in favor. The council directed the administration and village attorney to finalize minor clarifications to the ballot language and to certify the resolution consistent with county filing requirements (the county filing deadline was discussed during the meeting). If approved by voters, the additional millage would be collected starting in 2027; a property with $100,000 of taxable value was shown in the council's example as paying up to $340 annually at the full 3.4-mill rate.

Next steps: the administration will finalize and submit the certified resolution and ballot language to the county by the county's deadline and notify residents of the proposed levy. Councilmembers said they would return to the issue if voters reject the measure in August (the council discussed a potential November fallback option and adjustments to the amount if needed).