Finance & Personnel Committee Hears Public Input on 2026 City Budget Priorities

Members of the Milwaukee Common Council’s Finance & Personnel Committee held a public hearing this morning at the Milwaukee Public Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Branch to gather community input on the Mayor’s proposed 2026 City of Milwaukee budget. The committee, chaired by Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, includes Vice Chair Alderman Peter Burgelis, Alderman Scott Spiker, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, and Alderwoman Sharlen Moore.

In addition to committee members, Council President José G. Pérez, Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa, Alderwoman Andrea Pratt, and Alderman Alex Brower were also in attendance. City officials participating in the hearing included Comptroller Bill Christianson, Budget Director Nik Kovac, Fire Chief Aaron Lipski, and Library Director Joan Johnson.

A packed, standing room full of residents attended and shared their perspectives on community priorities for the 2026 budget. Among the most frequent themes were calls for increased funding for lead prevention, expanded doula services to support maternal and infant health, homebuyer down payment assistance, enhanced library services, flood mitigation, preserving the Environmental Collaboration Office, and increased city worker pay.

“Milwaukee residents continue to show up with passion and purpose,” said Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, Chair of the Finance & Personnel Committee. “Their input helps us craft a budget that reflects community needs and strengthens neighborhoods citywide.”

Alderman Peter Burgelis, Vice Chair of the Committee, added, “Our city’s budget is a moral document. It shows what we value. Today’s hearing was another reminder that Milwaukeeans want investments that promote health, safety, and opportunity.”

Residents are encouraged to share any additional input online. Those who were unable to attend public input meetings in person can still share their budget priorities by completing the City of Milwaukee 2026 Budget Survey online at tinyurl.com/BudgetSurvey2026. The brief survey allows community members to rank the issues most important to them and help guide the city’s budget decisions.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.