Board Adopts 2026 Budget, Reduces Size of MCTS Cut

Milwaukee County Courthouse. Photo by Graham Kilmer.

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors adopted a budget Thursday, and, most notably, reduced cuts to the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) by $4.7 million.

The $1.39 billion budget will fund county government through the end of 2026. The budget increases the property tax levy by 3.5 percent to $309 million. 

The board adopted nearly two dozen amendments to the county budget, restoring funding for some of the spending cuts included in County Executive David Crowley‘s recommended budget. However, the county is projected to run annual budget deficits for the foreseeable future, and some of the amendments will exacerbate these deficits in the future.

Crowley’s administration started the budget process with a projected $46.7 million deficit. To close the gap, departments across the government had to absorb spending cuts within their budgets, though most managed to avoid major reductions in service.

MCTS, which faces a $14 million projected budget deficit in 2026, is to see the largest cut of any county service. The system has a structural deficit that was offset in recent years by federal stimulus funds. Following board action Thursday, the projected deficit is reduced to approximately $9.3 million.

The budget also maintains funding Crowley included to continue planning for a new criminal courthouse to replace the Safety Building, 821 W. State St. The funding comes from a deal the Crowley administration negotiated with the Republican-controlled state Legislature. The latest state biennial provides the Milwaukee County Sheriff‘s Office (MCSO) $19 million for expressway patrol. Milwaukee is the only county required to patrol the freeways within its boundaries.

The administration says the funding was provided to offset expenses associated with developing a new courthouse. The funds are going into the MCSO budget, but at the same time the agency’s property tax revenue is reduced and nearly $16 million is shifted out to the courthouse project. It is estimated that the new courthouse will cost as much as $490 million to develop.

Transit

Transit was the major flashpoint in the 2026 budget, drawing several amendments from supervisors seeking to restore bus service. It was also the only source of major debate during the budget adoption meeting.

One amendment, authored by Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson Bovell, restores $4.7 million in MCTS funding by making adjustments to the county’s sales tax projections and debt payments. The funding will be held in an account until MCTS furnishes the board with a plan outlining how it will spend the funds to maintain service.

Supervisors focused on two routes in particular during the budget process: 28 and 55, which were two of the six. Route 28, according to advocates, is an important jobs route for people who are blind, visually impaired and hard of hearing because of a cluster businesses that employ them located along the route. Route 55 is used by students attending Ronald Reagan High School.

Sup. Justin Bielinski attempted to add an additional $1.3 million to the transit budget to save Route 28 specifically. He sought to pull funding from the county courthouse project to fund the amendment. The board rejected the amendment. Only Bielinski and supervisors Willie Johnson, Jr. , Juan Miguel Martinez, Steven Shea and Nicholson Bovell voted in favor.

The board also adopted an amendment, sponsored by Sup. Shawn Rolland, that provides $570,965 for uniformed transit security to address fare evasion. Data from MCTS suggests as many as one in three riders does not pay a fare.

Health and Human Services

The budget for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will see significant service reductions next year.

Most of the cuts are hitting Behavioral Health Services (BHS). They are largely driven by falling Medicaid reimbursement rates.

Another amendment authored by the chairwoman provides funding for three programs cut in the county executive’s budget: an early childhood development program called Birth to 3 ($450,000), financial assistance for Milwaukee Area Technical College students ($200,000), a nutrition assistance program called Milwaukee Market Match ($150,000) and a free legal service for peeople facing eviction called Eviction Free MKE ($100,000). Like her other amendment, Nicholson Bovell adjusts the county’s projected revenue, this time increasing the amount of investment income the county is expected to earn next year.

Budget cuts are causing the closure of a county-funded detox center. First Step Recovery Services, 2835 N. 32nd St., provides supervised and medically monitored recovery from withdrawal. The center employs approximately 85 people, and a layoff notice was recently filed with the state.

The BHS budget is controlled by the Mental Health Board. The county board is obligated by state law to adopt the board’s annual budget, provided it falls within certain spending limits.

Sheriff

Despite receiving approximately $19 million from the state, the MCSO budget is only being increased by approximately $5 million. That includes a $3 million increase to the overtime budget. The remainder covers wage increases. The agency requested additional correctional officers and deputies.

Parks

The 2026 Milwaukee County Parks budget was quietly approved with little change by county supervisors.

But it did include funding for one of the largest Parks projects in many years: the restoration and redevelopment of the Mitchell Park Domes. Parks is partnering with the Milwaukee Domes Alliance (MDA) to restore the domes. The $114 million plan calls for $30 million in public funding, paid out in $5 million installments over the next six years. The first installment was included in the 2026 budget.

Supervisors did amend the Parks budget to include $900,000 for the redevelopment of the Cooper Park parking lot. The lot is in terrible condition, with huge potholes. Sup. Felesia Martin, whose district includes the park, authored the amendment.

Chairwoman on 2026 Budget

Nicholson Bovell told Urban Milwaukee the board “really tried to put our community first” when it worked on the budget this year, and mentioned that the annual public meeting drew a massive turnout.

“So at the end of the day, we are in a challenging time, we’re in a critical time, but I’m proud of how our board came together in the best interest of our community,” Nicholson Bovell said.

Asked about her amendments, which fund services but potentially worsen future deficits, the chairwoman said, “Well, going in, we were well aware that these were short-term solutions. But when a wound is bleeding, you try to apply the pressure immediately, and so that’s what we wanted to do.”

County Executive Responds to Budget Adoption

The county executive responded to the budget with a lengthy statement: “As we move Milwaukee County forward, I believe we must balance fiscal responsibility, service delivery, and community needs. My recommended budget was built to protect essential services, invest in critical infrastructure, and maintain stability in the face of shifting financial realities. Following my budget address, we heard from residents about the issues that are most important to them. In the spirit of partnership and collaboration, I believe we should act responsibly in responding to their needs. I will carefully review the amended budget to ensure it improves the quality of life for working families, upholds our commitments, and protects the future of Milwaukee County for generations to come.”

Crowley is able to issue partial budget vetoes.