This just in: Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta’s proposed 2027 operating budget was released today.
The proposed 2027 budget includes additional investments in public safety, transit, and forestry. Among the most notable items are:
Ongoing funding for the two firefighter positions we recently added and increased fire department overtime funding (see more info later in this newsletter);
Funding to add one more police officer;
Funding for additional ambulance coverage during peak hours;
Cost-of-living adjustments for city staff; and
Funding to cover increased costs for Metro Transit service.
If the budget is approved as drafted, the average Fitchburg home valued at $504,700 would see a total annual property tax increase of approximately $36. As a reminder, only about one-third of what you pay in property taxes goes to the City of Fitchburg. The largest portion – roughly half – goes to your school district, with the rest divided up among Dane County and Madison College. While the bill comes from the city and checks are made out to the city, the mayor, my fellow alders and I only have control over that one-third of the total.
Key budget dates:
September 18: Draft budget released
September 29-30: Department heads present their respective budgets to the Finance Committee
October 13: Public hearing on the draft budget (during the regular Common Council meeting)
October 14: Alder amendments due
October 23: Alder amendments released
November 10: Public hearing on alder amendments and final vote on adopting the budget (during the regular Common Council meeting)
In addition, the Common Council will consider creating a new forestry fee to cover some of the costs of our current forestry operations and add an additional staff member. This fee will be considered separately from the 2027 budget but is built into the draft described above. As proposed, the fee would be:
$60 annually for a single-family home;
$40.41 annually for a duplex home;
$107.21 annually for a multi-family home; and
$168.01 annually for non-residential properties.
I feel it’s important to point out that this fee would also apply to properties owned by non-profit organizations that do not pay property taxes. We have several new buildings in the city that fall into this bucket and more on the way, so this fee feels like a fair way to ensure everyone is paying toward the services that keep our city running.
If approved, you would begin to see the fee added to your water bill quarterly starting in April. If the fee is not approved, the city likely will not be able to add a second forestry position, and some of the other public safety and transit investments may also not be possible without service cuts elsewhere.
I’m eager to hear your thoughts on the services the city provides, what else you’d like to see us do, and what, if anything, you would be willing to do without. Feel free to reach out by email any time – or consider attending the upcoming District 3 Listening Session with me, Mayor Arata-Fratta, and Alder Donald Dantzler, Jr. on October 29.
P.S. Wondering how your tax dollars are spent? My colleague, District 4 Alder Micah LaDousa, built this great tool that breaks it down by department and category. Note that the tool provides a great estimate but is not precise; it does not, for example, account for other revenue like grants and fees. It is not an official City of Fitchburg resource, but it does give you a general idea of where your property tax dollars go.
Yours in service,
-Logan
What’s “Growing” On
Here’s what’s being built in Fitchburg.
Avante Properties is in the process of building new roads in Uptown, which will require part of Lacy Road to close for approximately two weeks.
Lacy Road is scheduled to be closed in both directions between East Cheryl Parkway and Central Park Place starting on September 24 and ending on October 8. If you need to get through this area, you should use South Syene Road and Central Park Place as a detour.
Here's what you should know:
📅 Dates: September 24-October 8
↔️ Detour: East Cheryl Parkway, South Syene Road, and Central Park Place
🚲 Bikes and pedestrians: Use the marked detour or another route. The Uptown path along the railroad tracks will remain OPEN during road construction.
🚌 Metro Transit Route 65 will be affected. Southbound buses (coming from Madison) are proposed to detour via County Highway MM, Haight Farm Road, and Lacy Road. The southbound stop at Lacy/Central Park will be temporarily closed. Northbound buses (heading toward Madison) will be able to get through the construction area and all stops will remain open.
🛑 Stop signs: Temporary stop signs will be put up at Lacy Road and Central Park Place to control traffic.
What’s being done: Stanley Park Place is being extended from near The Rusty Bee to Central Park Place. A new road named Balboa Pass will connect Stanley Park Place and Lacy Road about halfway between Central Park Place and East Cheryl Parkway.
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More restaurant options are now available and coming soon in the city:
Miyabi Japanese Restaurant just opened at 6317 McKee Road (near Target). Learn more about them on their Facebook page.
The McDonald’s at 6335 Jamestown Way (also near Target) has opened, and the Chick-fil-A down the street is planning to open this fall.
Cheese and Cheers Bistro is coming soon at 2570 Rimrock Road. Stay tuned for more details.
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Demolition on the old Bowman Plaza building on Fish Hatchery Road near Post Road has begun. In place of the former shopping center and gas station will be a 270-unit apartment building with commercial space on the ground level. Once constructed, the new Bowman Plaza will be the city’s tallest building!
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GiGi’s Playhouse opened its doors to their new forever home at the corner of Lacy Road and Botanical Drive in late August. A large crowd joined them for their ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 26, including Gov. Tony Evers!
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Working For You
Here’s how city staff and elected officials are working on your behalf to make Fitchburg a better place.
Construction on the Swan Creek Park tennis courts is officially underway!
Both courts will be replaced with similar courts (but with some more space between the courts and the fence). Once the tennis courts are done, the basketball court will be resurfaced.
This work is expected to continue through the rest of this year. Construction equipment will use Crinkle Root Drive and the multi-use path behind the shelter to get to the courts, so use caution when you're walking/biking/running in that area.
The Swan Creek Park tennis courts, seen shortly before they were removed.
Council Recap
At our last two council meetings, we approved several investments in our fire department that demonstrate our commitment to our firefighters while ensuring the department remains on solid footing.
Most notably, we approved an amendment to the 2026 budget to allow us to hire two more firefighters yet this year – instead of having to wait until 2027. The money to make this happen is coming out of what we budgeted for operating costs for the Police Services Facility, which is still under construction (so we don't need to pay for air conditioning or custodial services yet). We also approved an updated collective bargaining agreement with the firefighters' union and a memorandum of understanding to create a Wellness Day for firefighters (the first of any agency in Dane County to do so).
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On August 25, we:
Approved an ordinance that clarifies the type of traffic studies new developments have to conduct before they are approved.
On September 8, we:
Had a very short meeting – the main highlights are covered elsewhere in this newsletter.
Looking Ahead
On September 22, the council will be reviewing the latest steps for several development proposals in District 3. The most notable of these include:
A certified survey map and rezone for the proposed townhomes and duplexes at the corner of Lacy Road and Fahey Glen near Waterford Glen;
A final plat and rezone for the proposed Syncopation neighborhood along County Highway MM; and
A rezone for the Trilogy senior living building within the Syncopation neighborhood.
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A resolution has been introduced that proposes increasing the annual salaries for our elected officials: our municipal judge, the alders, and the mayor.
The increases are proposed as follows:
Municipal judge: From $10,000 to $25,000 (last increased in 2009)
Alders: From $5,000 to $8,000 (last increased in 1997)
Council president: From $5,500 to $9,000 (last increased in 1997)
Mayor: From $10,000 to $25,000 (last increased in 1997)
For the alders and mayor, the increases wouldn’t take effect until 2028 and 2029, respectively, so each seat will have an election before they kick in.
The resolution is scheduled to come before the Common Council for a vote on October 13.
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Also on October 13, the Common Council is expected to vote on a resolution to approve a state municipal agreement to build a bike and pedestrian path along County Highway MM from McCoy Road to Englehart Drive. This would provide a much safer connection between the Capital City State Trail and the Southdale neighborhood.
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Another resolution scheduled to come to the Council on October 13 would approve updated concepts and the budget for a replacement playground for Kids Crossing at McKee Farms Park (aka the “castle park”).
Get Involved
The city’s fall electronics recycling and paper shredding event originally scheduled for Saturday, September 19, has been canceled. City staff are working on rescheduling it.
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The Fitchburg Fire Department’s annual open house and Oak Bank’s Pumpkin Giveaway event are scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon on October 10. The events are located across the street from one another at Fire Station 2 (2931 Marketplace Drive) and the bank branch at 5951 McKee Road.
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Night markets have arrived at The Rusty Bee Lounge! Mark your calendars for the following dates:
September 24
October 22
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Fitchburg Farmers’ Market at Agora has returned for the season! Check it out from 3-6 p.m. weekly!
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Mark your calendar for the upcoming District 3 Listening Session with me, Mayor Arata-Fratta, and Alder Dantzler, Jr.
October 29, 2026
6-8 p.m.
Fire Station 3, 2950 S. Syene Rd.
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Fitchburg Chamber Events Calendar
ICYMI
This month, we learned that the Fitchburg Star has discontinued its printed newspaper effective immediately. The Star plans to continue to publish news online.
