Milwaukee County Board Finance Committee Votes to Restore Transit Funding and Strengthen Transit Priorities

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee County Board’s Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend a budget amendment and resolution to invest $4,785,785 in Transit and Paratransit services. The measures, authored by Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson and co-sponsored by Supervisors Shawn Rolland, Caroline Gómez-Tom, Steven Shea, Jack Eckblad, Kathleen Vincent, Felesia A. Martin, Sequanna Taylor (5), Steve F. Taylor (17), Juan Miguel Martinez, Patti Logsdon, Anne O’Connor, Sky Z. Capriolo, and Priscilla E. Coggs-Jones, will also direct MCDOT and MCTS to report back in December with strategies to sustain and improve service, maintain essential routes, and explore new partnerships.

“We are providing taxpayers with more value while reducing the property tax levy increase from 4.1% to 3.5%, $1,739,168 less than the originally recommended budget,” said Finance Committee Vice-Chair Steve F. Taylor. “We can’t listen to our residents talk about how services from birth-to-three to transit directly impact their lives and not do anything, so we’re taking responsible action.”

“This has not been an easy budget for the administration or the legislative branch, but in challenging times, our values and our leadership matter most,” said Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson. “I’m thankful for the hundreds of constituents who traveled to the Domes this week from across the County, granting us the opportunity to listen and engage, and for the Finance Committee for their unanimous support of the two-part plan I put forward to invest in transit and paratransit services. Because of our collaborations – for people who asked us to put more resources into services like transit, Birth-to-Right-to-Counsel, and Market Match – we’re advancing a better community-centered budget for 2026.”

The proposal follows strong public calls to restore transit funding and preserve paratransit services, which were heard during Monday’s Budget Town Hall. Riders, bus operators, and disability rights advocates emphasized that transit access connects residents to jobs, health care, and opportunity.

The amended budget will now be presented to the full County Board for consideration at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 6th, at the Milwaukee County Courthouse in room 200, with virtual streaming access available.

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.