Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson has unveiled a proposed 2027 budget focused on public safety and road repairs, while addressing a shortfall of nearly $100 million through reserve withdrawals, higher fees and an increased property tax levy.
The $2.26 billion spending plan was presented to Milwaukee’s Common Council on Tuesday, September 22. City officials said the budget began with a structural gap of $96.8 million between the cost of maintaining services and projected revenue.
That gap would be closed through $42.8 million taken from city reserves, about $20.5 million in additional revenue and $33.5 million in reductions from departmental requests, according to the city’s budget documents.
Road maintenance is one of the proposal’s main priorities. The plan would provide a record $19.2 million for local road construction, including $12 million for high-impact paving and $7.2 million for street reconstruction, alongside extra equipment for pothole repairs.
Some of the road funding would come from higher parking charges. The annual overnight parking permit would rise from $55 to $110, parking citations would increase by $10 and downtown meter rates would start at $3 an hour. The city’s vehicle registration fee would remain unchanged.
The budget would fund three Milwaukee Police Department recruit classes, each with capacity for up to 65 people. It also proposes 15 additional firefighter positions, enough to increase daily minimum staffing and put one more heavy fire appliance into service.
Funding for violence-prevention work would increase by $1 million, while the proposal also includes money for a new Milwaukee Public Library branch in Midtown and a new Department of Public Works facility. The administration says it does not expect the plan to result in layoffs.
The city property tax levy would increase by about 2%, from $336.8 million to $343.6 million, while average user fees would rise by roughly 3%. Officials said both increases would remain below the rate of inflation, although the average homeowner’s city tax bill is expected to rise.
Johnson warned that using reserves to balance the budget was not a sustainable long-term solution, as city spending continues to grow faster than projected revenue. The Common Council is expected to consider amendments before voting on the budget in early November.
