The District 3 Dispatch | City Budget Approved; Major Project Milestones
2026 Budget Overview
Earlier this week, the Fitchburg Common Council unanimously approved the city’s 2026 operating budget. Despite a number of challenges, this budget will deliver on several key priorities for our growing city:
Promoting public safety by covering annual operating expenses for the new Police Services Facility, covering increased costs for FitchRona EMS service, and increasing paid-on-call firefighters’ base pay rate to $15/hour;
Expanding Metro Transit Routes 65 and 75 to all-day service (plus the associated paratransit expansion); and
Supporting city staff with cost-of-living adjustments, expanded paid parental leave, and covering health insurance premium increases.
Together, these investments will continue to improve the quality of life for city residents into the future. But they come with a cost. Operating costs for the Police Services Facility (which came in more than $9 million under budget to build) will run around $500,000 per year; meanwhile, our updated agreement with FitchRona EMS will cost an additional $230,000, and the expanded bus service will also cost around $230,000.
The approved budget had just $43 of “wiggle room” left. Let me say that again – for a city of 36,000 residents with hundreds of staff members, we had just over one-tenth of one cent per resident left over. Your elected officials and city staff members are working day in and day out to meet the needs of our growing city, but both financial and staff capacity are stretched about as far as they can be.
How Much Will I Pay?
The average Fitchburg home valued at $504,700 will see an increase of $83 on the portion of taxes paid to the city. As a reminder, only around one-third of your total property tax bill goes to the city; the rest (which the city doesn’t control) goes to Dane County, your school district, and Madison College. We do not yet have final figures from all three school districts serving Fitchburg on how much those taxes will increase, but we should know soon as property tax bills are set to be mailed on December 12. Keep in mind that the Madison Metropolitan School District’s combined $607 million referenda were approved in 2024 and will first appear on your 2026 tax bill if you live in that district.
Looking Ahead
In light of last year’s failed referendum, this year we completed multiple staff reorganization plans to best prioritize resources (as I outlined in the September edition of The District 3 Dispatch). This led to the first staff layoffs in our city’s history, a necessary but painful step that I don’t take lightly. We are planning changes to at least one more department to refocus our communication efforts, and while this will be a positive long-term change, we still have other needs we cannot meet. Looking to the future, we will need to work as a community to decide how to move forward – whether that’s asking taxpayers for additional money or cutting services. Regardless of where you stand, I ask that you take a few minutes to consider what you value most about living in Fitchburg and what those things cost.
As always, I am happy to sit down with anyone in District 3 to talk through these complex issues and hear your thoughts. It takes all of us working together to make sure Fitchburg stays a place we’re proud to call home.
Yours in service,
-Logan
What’s “Growing” On
Here’s what’s being built in Fitchburg.
Construction on the new UW Health/UnityPoint Health Meriter/Lifepoint rehabilitation hospital in Uptown is now underway! We marked the occasion with a groundbreaking on October 30. The 40-bed rehab hospital is expected to open in early 2027. Read more in UW Health’s announcement.
Breaking ground on the new rehab hospital in Uptown.
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Site work is already well underway for the new Police Services Facility next to the library. A time-lapse camera has been set up to capture the building going up.
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One of the city’s newest parks is taking shape. Castlebar Park in Highfield Reserve now has its playground equipment in the ground. What it lacks in size, Castlebar Park makes up for with some unique elements: climbing features that resemble logs and rocks. Of course for the bigger kiddos (and adults), McGaw Park is just a couple of blocks away.
A view of Castlebar Park.
Working For You
Here’s how city staff and elected officials are working on your behalf to make Fitchburg a better place.
South Syene Road has officially reopened! The multi-year, multi-phase reconstruction of South Syene Road from Aurora Avenue to McCoy Road is now substantially complete. I was fortunate enough to highlight this major milestone on WKOW 27 and take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday afternoon (coverage via WMTV 15).
Cutting the ribbon on South Syene Road. Courtesy: Steve Arnold.
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The new playground equipment at Southdale Park has been installed and is now ready for play! Stay tuned for more improvements to this park in 2026.
New playground equipment at Southdale Park.
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The Common Council has approved installing lights at the McGaw Park pickleball courts to expand play hours past sunset. Learn more from FACTv.
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The Food Scrap Stop program has arrived in Fitchburg. If you’re looking for an opportunity to start composting (or somewhere to drop off the food scraps you already collect), there are now collection bins at the Swan Creek Park shelter. Check out this video from FACTv to learn more.
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Some traffic changes have arrived along Lacy Road in Terravessa. Parking has been removed from both sides of the street between County Highway MM and Brassica Road/Endive Drive (at the entrance to the neighborhood) and replaced with bike lanes. At several intersections along Lacy Road, the curbs have been painted yellow to keep people from parking too close to the crosswalks.
Get Involved
Upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and ways you can help make our city a better place
The Birdie Derby is back! Start your Thanksgiving Day with a 5K or 10K run. Roads around the Agora pavilion will be closed for the event.
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It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year! If your holiday spirit shines bright, sign up to take part in the annual Holiday Lights Tour. The event kicks off on December 12 with Get Festive at Agora and continues through the weekend. District 3 always puts on quite a display of cheer, and I look forward to seeing your decorations again very soon.
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Fitchburg Chamber Events Calendar
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)
Rutabaga Paddlesports may be staying open after all. After the business’ owner announced plans to shut down, he told Wisconsin Public Radio he was flooded with messages, including from people who may want to buy the business from him.
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The Ninebark at the Moon Halloween block party brought tricks and treats to Swan Creek. Organizer Steven Davis spoke with FACTv about the growing event.
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The 2026 solid waste calendar has been released.
One Last Thing…
With the arrival of the cold weather comes the return of alternate side parking. Between November 15 and March 15, you’ll need to park on the even-numbered side of the road between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. on even-numbered days and park on the odd-numbered side of the road between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. on odd-numbered days. This is regardless of whether it snows or not.
