RACINE, Wis. — The City of Racine Committee of the Whole opened its multi-day 2026 budget review on Wednesday evening, Oct. 22, 2026, hearing five-minute overviews from nearly every major city department and a lengthy procedural debate about whether to begin questions that night or hold them in a separate session.

Council President Horton presided. Before departments began, a motion to suspend the previously described meeting procedures was made and taken to roll-call; the transcript records six ayes and six noes. After that vote, the chair directed that presentations proceed that evening and that detailed questions be taken during the scheduled question-and-answer session the following night.

Why it matters: the presentations outline spending priorities, capital projects and staffing for police, fire, utilities, public works and other city services that will shape the 2026 tax levy, federal- and state-funded projects and the city's capital program.

The procedural vote and how the council chose to proceed

Council members debated whether to "begin our questioning this evening by department after their five-minute budget overview" or to adhere to a previously circulated schedule that separates presentations and Q&A. The city attorney advised that suspending council rules generally requires a supermajority in certain budget-related matters; a roll-call recorded in the transcript shows the following votes on the motion to suspend rules or otherwise alter the planned procedure: Ald. Frazier — No; Ald. Townsend — Aye; Ald. Davis — Aye; Ald. Mack — Aye; Ald. Jorgensen — No; Ald. Weidner — Aye; Ald. Scada — Aye; Ald. Allen — Aye; Ald. Pete — No; Ald. Harmon — No; Ald. Pavan — Yes. The tally was recorded in the transcript as "6 ayes, 6 noes." The chair then announced that presentations would be heard that night and questions would be taken the next day.

Police and public safety

Police Chief Alex Ramirez opened the presentations noting, "Public safety remains my number 1 priority." Ramirez told the council the Police Department's operational budget is "right around $36,000,000," and that the department is planning technology and capital investments including a five-year Axon contract and increased spending on vehicles. Ramirez said the capital budget was up about 25% and that calls for service were up 8% from the prior year.

Fire Chief Steve Hansen described the fire department as "an all hazards agency," noting broad responsibilities beyond fire suppression, including hazardous materials response, technical rescue and water rescue. Hansen told the council the department's budgets are split across three sections in the book (fire suppression, a $1.5 million referendum account, and emergency medical services) and that the referendum funding restores nine paramedic positions toward pre-2022 staffing levels.

Department of Public Works and infrastructure

DPW highlighted fuel efficiencies, equipment and infrastructure plans. The presentation said the refuse fleet now uses "32% less diesel than it did three years ago," saving about $70,000 annually. DPW said it will study moving yard waste drop-off to the transfer station's west side and that it will bid permanent structural repairs for the State Street lift bridge by 2027 under a state municipal agreement that, according to DPW, would fully fund an "eight-figure" rehabilitation at no cost to city residents. The department also reported continued work on inflow and infiltration reduction, noting a homeowner-initiated sump pump reimbursement program has had 732 applicants with 59 installations complete to date.

Water and wastewater utilities

Racine Water Utility reported there will be "no water rate increase in 2026." The water presentation described a 3.2% increase in O&M driven by personnel and contractual costs, plus a proposed 10-year CIP totaling $242 million. The utility said it has applied for a $40 million loan to accelerate lead service line replacement and listed major 2026 CIP items, including filter bed rehabilitation and lead service line replacement work expected to be partially eligible for principal forgiveness.

The wastewater utility said it expects a modest rate change: "Wastewater is proposing a 3.1% increase," which the presentation framed as roughly a $1.61 increase per quarterly bill for a typical residential customer, and described near-term completion of UV disinfection, biogas cleaning and a biogas-to-energy generator in 2026.

Community safety and violence-reduction work

Director John Tate said the Department of Community Safety has largely been grant-funded to date and described program results and staffing needs. Tate summarized outreach caseloads and a group violence intervention strategy, noting the department had "either met or made substantial progress toward" its 2025 objectives and that the department now seeks stable funding: the presentation said the city tax levy is proposed to fund three positions along with modest operating funds while the department will continue to pursue grants.

Transit, parks, libraries, courts and other services

Ride Racine reported ridership staying above one million annual trips, receipt of $1,680,000 in federal funds for vehicle and facility improvements, and an ongoing transition to modern fare payment systems. Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services reported a 4.1% budget increase driven by salaries, benefits and utilities; proposed fee changes include cemetery fee increases and boat launch fee adjustments in compliance with DNR guidance. Library Director Dimpsky highlighted staffing stabilization, foundation work, community events and outreach, saying the library's expanded staffing has enabled new programming.

Other departments and items of note

- Municipal Judge Rob Weber requested modest line-item adjustments totaling $801.44 (postage and painting).
- MIS Director Adele Edwards described security upgrades, migration to Windows 11 and smart-city projects including digital literacy training and device distribution funded through a PSC grant.
- Public health outlined three goals including relocation to the Martin Luther King building, a maternal health program ("You First") and food-safety enforcement, and cited a proposed ordinance change related to hotel and motel occupancy (referenced in the presentation as "7 or 0017-25 hotel and motel occupancy limits").
- City Development reported $73 million in new net construction in the past year, a housing study that identified capacity for roughly 1,500 units over the next decade, and proposed code and vacant-building registration changes.
- Finance Director Kathleen Fisher described a planned consolidation of utility finance functions into the city's finance ERP (Munis), continued oversight of the Lincoln King Community Center project, and noted interest costs as the primary driver of debt-service increases.

What happens next

Council members will take questions in the scheduled question-and-answer session on the second night of review. Department heads repeatedly said they were prepared to present but not to take extensive questions on the night of presentations; the council president and city administrator confirmed the city's schedule would preserve a dedicated Q&A evening. Formal budget adoption and any ordinance changes will follow the council's established public meeting and ordinance process.