Committee of the Whole 10/19/26 - Budget Amendments

The City of Racine Committee of the Whole met on October 19, 2026, to consider amendments to the proposed 2027 budget and capital improvement plan. The 2027 city budget passed as amended. Among the amendments, the council approved a $130,000 allocation for a license plate-reader system, using $80,000 from the budget line item and $50,000 in available asset-forfeiture funds. No vendor was selected and no contract was awarded; discussion addressed procurement timing, audit controls, privacy concerns, and pending legal challenges. The council also approved moving a vacant rental and nuisance property manager position from Inspection and Neighborhood Services to the Police Department, with no specific dollar amount stated. The 2027 operating and expense budget, 2027–2036 capital improvement plan, sewer rates, and waterworks budget were also approved.

The council approved creation of a six-month ad hoc committee to review the clear-water reduction/sump-pump proposal; the mayor will nominate its members, subject to council confirmation, and the committee will include a citizen and a council representative. The proposal to eliminate nonresident youth fees at the King Center was amended to instead invite surrounding municipalities to propose funding contributions; the amendment passed 7–6. A separate proposal to remove all King Center admission and pass fees, with $24,000 in revenue reductions offset by cuts to several budget lines, failed 4–9. Zoo maintenance funding and a proposed transfer of $15,300 from municipal league memberships to the zoo were discussed, but the transcript does not clearly capture the final disposition of those proposals.