Fitchburg, WI Mayor's District 4 Listening Session 6-29-26

The City of Fitchburg held a District 4 Listening Session on June 29, 2026, focusing on community concerns, city services, and budget priorities. A significant portion of the meeting addressed public safety funding challenges, including a failed 2024 referendum to increase taxes for hiring additional police officers and firefighters. The mayor and council members discussed the impact of staffing shortages on fire and police services, the use of a vehicle registration fee (wheel tax) to partially fund the new police facility and firefighter wages, and the constraints imposed by levy limits and rising costs such as health insurance. The meeting also covered the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), with projects including city hall renovations, road resurfacing and reconstruction (notably Fitrona Road and Irish Lane), and transit investments supported by a $180 million federal grant. The council emphasized the need to balance growth, affordable housing initiatives funded by a $10 million tax increment fund, and infrastructure development while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Public engagement was encouraged for upcoming budget amendments and CIP decisions, with the council committed to finding funding for increased firefighter staffing in the 2027 budget cycle.