On Tuesday, Mayor Cavalier Johnson proposed a $2.26 billion budget for the City of Milwaukee for 2027. The proposal seeks to close a budget gap approaching $100 million through a combination of reserve withdrawals, increased revenue and spending reductions.
“This is not a short-term problem, and tapping into reserves is not a sustainable approach,” Johnson said.
The proposal would increase the city’s property tax levy by 2%, from $336.8 million in 2026 to $343.6 million in 2027. Johnson said the increase remains below the rate of inflation.
Fees for city services, including sanitation, snow and ice removal, and street lighting, would increase by approximately 3%.
The mayor’s proposal includes $19.2 million for street improvements. “The budget I present today has the largest investment in local roads we have ever put forth in a city budget,” Johnson said.
To help pay for the work, Johnson is proposing three major parking increases. Parking ticket fines would increase by $10. Downtown parking meter rates would increase from $2.25 to $3 per hour. Annual overnight parking permits would double from $55 to $110. The increases are expected to generate an additional $6 million.
However, $6 million represents only a small portion of Milwaukee’s much larger infrastructure challenge. A city report cited in a previous Heartland Post article, estimated that Milwaukee would need approximately $752 million to bring all poor condition streets up to acceptable standards.
The proposal also includes additional pothole repairs, new road-repair equipment and $4 million more for high-impact paving.
Johnson’s budget calls for funding to transform the former Midtown neighborhood Walmart into a new Milwaukee Public Library branch. It also includes money for a new Department of Public Works facility to replace the deteriorating Canal Street facility in the Menomonee Valley.
The budget proposal also contains quality of life and public safety investments.
Johnson is seeking additional funding for the Milwaukee Fire Department to staff another engine or truck, potentially allowing the fire chief to reopen a previously closed firehouse.
The budget would also fund three Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) academy classes in an effort to address the MPD shortage. Each class has a capacity of 65 recruits, although recent classes have attracted approximately 30 to 40 recruits.
Johnson also proposed increasing funding for violence interruption efforts by $1 million while maintaining staffing in the city’s Department of Community Wellness and Safety.
General city employees would receive a 2% wage increase.
Johnson said he would like to do more with the 2027 city budget but argued that inadequate state shared revenue continues to limit Milwaukee’s options.
“The state of Wisconsin is sitting on billions and billions of dollars that should be going back to local governments,” Johnson said.
The Milwaukee Common Council is scheduled to hold public hearings on the proposed budget at City Hall on October 5 and October 17. A final vote is scheduled for November 6.
