Milwaukee County Finance Committee Budget Amendment Reflects a Commitment to Community Health, Housing, and Well-Being

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors Finance Committee is set to advance an amendment to the 2026 budget on Friday, October 29th, that reaffirms the commitment of Supervisors to investing in programs that keep County residents healthy, housed, and supported. The amendment reflects the Board’s shared values of collaboration by investing with community partners to promote security, health, and well-being to make Milwaukee County a place where everyone can thrive.

“These amendments represent our budget priorities and values,” said Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson. “We are standing up for families, workers, and neighbors across Milwaukee County by protecting the services that keep people healthy, housed, and well.”

The Finance Committee will vote on a proposal to invest in expanded support for ‘Birth to Three’, a federally required program that provides critical early intervention services for children with disabilities or developmental delays like physical, occupational, and speech therapies. The state’s funding for these services has remained stagnant for years, leaving local governments and our partners to fill the gap.

“This program is essential; we know that intervention in the first few years of a child’s life is pivotal to laying the foundation for a thriving future,” said Chairwoman Nicholson. “As a former educator, I’ve seen firsthand how these interventions strengthen school readiness as well as cognitive and social development, reducing future societal costs.

With this proposed amendment, funding for ‘Right to Counsel’ would be put back into the budget. The program helps families stay in their homes and prevents homelessness by providing legal assistance to tenants facing eviction.

“Milwaukee County’s ‘Right to Counsel’ program has proven that when tenants have legal representation, they are far more likely to keep their homes,” said Supervisor Jack Eckblad. “This is about residents’ stability, dignity, and fairness.”

The Finance Committee’s budget amendment also includes funding for the ‘Market Match’ program, an initiative that matches up to $30 in FoodShare (SNAP) benefits at participating farmers’ markets. This helps families stretch their grocery dollars while supporting local growers and increasing access to quality produce.

“Market Match is a win-win for Milwaukee County residents,” said Supervisor Anne O’Connor. “It helps families put healthy, fresh food on the table and strengthens our local food economy.”
For those employed by Milwaukee County, Supervisors are proposing an amendment that will eliminate the $600 annual spousal surcharge on health insurance for employees who include their spouses in their coverage plans.

“This change removes a penalty and unnecessary financial barrier when County employees are seeking health care for their families,” said Supervisor Caroline Gómez-Tom. “Removing the surcharge on spouses helps make health coverage more affordable and equitable for our workforce.”

The amendment proposal would also restore $200,000 for the ‘Fast Fund’ program, which provides emergency housing and financial assistance for students.

“The Fast Fund is a hand up, not a hand-out,” said Supervisor Shea. “This investment pays dividends, allowing housing-insecure students to finish their education, secure gainful employment, and become tax-paying, productive community members. This money is as well spent as anything in the Milwaukee County budget.”

The proposal is expected to be taken up at the Committee on Finance meeting on Friday, October 29th, at 9:00 a.m., in room 203-R of the Milwaukee County Courthouse, as part of the ongoing budget deliberations.

The Milwaukee County Board will continue to gather public feedback before finalizing the 2026 budget. Residents are encouraged to attend the upcoming Budget Public Hearing on Monday, October 27th, at 6 pm, at the Mitchell Park Domes, to voice their priorities and ideas directly with County leaders.

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.