2027 Budget

In person

Tuesday, October 27 at 5 p.m.

• The City will host a public hearing for residents to learn more about the 2027 budget and provide input to local officials.
• The session will be held at City Hall, Room 406 (215 Church Avenue)

By email

Provide written comments prior to the public hearing by emailing citymgr@oshkoshwi.gov

What are the proposed total budget, general fund budget and property tax levy, and how does each compare in dollars and percentage terms with the adopted 2026 budget?

The proposed levy for 2027 is $48.5 million, as compared to $47 million in 2026. The proposed general fund budget is $65,738,170 for 2027, as compared to $63,048,400 in 2026.

What are the proposed municipal property tax rate and the city's portion of the tax bill on a $225,000 Oshkosh home?

The proposed City tax rate is $7.95 per $1,000 of property value, or $1,788 for a $225,000 home. The 2026 tax rate was $7.77 per $1,000 of property value. Compared to 2026, assuming no other changes to property values, this would result in an increase of $41.35 for that $225,000 home. These calculations use assessed value.

What are the main reasons the budget, levy or tax rate would increase or decrease, including changes in state shared revenue, wages, health insurance, debt payments, inflation or other significant costs and revenues?

All of these things have an effect on the annual budget. Increases in wages and operational costs played a factor in this proposed budget. However, one major factor was the $500,000 cut to the City’s Municipal Services Payment. This is a payment from the state of Wisconsin to cover costs of providing fire, EMS and partial police services to state-owned institutions in the city. This program has been underfunded for years, despite the fact that the state has a record budget surplus. This cut represents about a third of the total increase in the levy, as well as a third of the increase taxpayers may see in their bills compared to 2026.

What city positions, programs or services would be added, expanded, reduced or eliminated? Please provide the number of positions and estimated cost or savings for each major change.

Personnel costs make up about 70% of the City's general fund budget. The City has worked to right size its staffing levels over the past couple years, and the 2027 budget proposes transitioning a Police Department Records Supervisor position to a Detective position, which strengthens investigative capacity and helps the department respond to changing demands; a reduction of vacant Public Works Operators and an Assessor position; and continued efforts to budget for vacancy savings. All of these efforts result in about $800,000 in savings between the 2026 and 2027 budgets.

What are the largest capital projects and borrowing proposals in the budget or capital improvement plan? Please provide each project’s cost, funding source, timing and expected effect on future debt payments or taxes.

Here are some of the largest projects by budget included in the 2027 CIP. The project costs are conservative estimates, and timelines are not set in stone, as planning continues:

• EOC/Joint Public Safety Training Center – total project cost $21.2 million, $2 million in 2027 CIP – this project will only move forward at this time if the City receives state and federal grant funds it has applied for.
• I-41 Pedestrian Bridge – total project cost $12.3 million – the City received $8 million in federal grant funds for this project.
• Major street projects included in the 2027 CIP include:
  • Bowen St. ($8.6 million) - Full reconstruction of the street, including public utilities and laterals, from Otter Avenue to East Parkway Avenue.
  • W 14th Ave. ($6 million) - Full reconstruction of the street, including public utilities and laterals, from Ohio Street to Oregon Street.

What are the dates for public review, the budget hearing and Common Council action? What significant decisions or changes remain possible?

The public hearing for the 2027 proposed budget will take place on Tuesday, October 27, at 5 p.m. in room 406 at City Hall. The budget and CIP will be on the agenda for Council approval on Tuesday, November 17 at 6 p.m.

Is there other important info about the proposed budget?

Staff began 2027 budget preparations facing a $3.4 million deficit. That deficit increased by nearly 15% when we received late notice that the City's MSP allocation would be $500,000 lower than anticipated. The reasoning provided by the state included negative values for facilities at UW-Oshkosh. The City requested clarification on this from the Wisconsin Department of Administration and we are still awaiting a response. Innovative and creative solutions resulted in a modest, proposed tax rate of increase of 2.4%. The 2027 budget implements efficiencies to help deliver high-quality services residents expect – including police, fire and EMS; economic development; garbage and recycling collection; and high-quality parks and roads.

Oshkosh Common Council Budget Workshops

Want to learn more? Check out the recordings of the Common Council budget workshops on the City of Oshkosh YouTube channel.

Oshkosh Common Council Budget Public Hearing

The public hearing for the City of Oshkosh 2027 will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 5 p.m. The public hearing will be at City Hall (215 Church Avenue) in Council Chambers (Room 406).

If you wish to share comments or have questions, please contact the City Manager’s Office: citymgr@oshkoshwi.gov.