Milwaukee Common Council Meeting Summary – September 22, 2026

On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, the Milwaukee Common Council met in the Common Council Chamber at City Hall. The meeting was called to order at 9:25 a.m. (agenda time was 9:00 a.m.) and adjourned at 10:54 a.m.; all 15 aldermen were present at final action. The council approved the previous minutes, heard Mayor Cavalier Johnson present his proposed 2027 executive budget, and acted on reports from all standing committees, including several contested votes.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comment was taken during the meeting. Mayor Johnson’s budget presentation was informational only; public comment on the 2027 budget is reserved for the joint Common Council/Mayor hearing on Monday, October 5, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Common Council Chamber, and for the Finance and Personnel Committee public hearing on Saturday, October 17, 2026 (minutes state 9:30 a.m. at Mitchell Library; the President’s closing remarks said 9:00 a.m. at Mitchell Street Public Library).

Mayor’s 2027 Budget Presentation and Referral

• Mayor Johnson presented the proposed 2027 executive budget, saying the spring budget gap neared $100 million before reserve withdrawals, revenue increases, and expenditure reductions.
• Proposed investments include the largest local road investment in city history, with $4 million more in high-impact paving above the current budget; modest increases in parking ticket, permit, and meter fees; no vehicle registration fee hike; continued demolition and housing programs; three full Milwaukee Police Academy classes; $1 million more for violence interruption; and funding for an additional fire truck/engine to potentially reopen a previously shuttered firehouse.
• He noted ARPA funds fully sunset at the end of 2026, and stated that if state shared revenue had kept pace with inflation since 1996, Milwaukee would receive $200 million more this year.
• The proposed property tax levy increase is below the rate of inflation.
• Ald. Dimitrijevic moved to refer the budget to the Finance and Personnel Committee and to schedule a joint public hearing on October 5, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.; the motion was adopted. The Finance and Personnel Committee’s report is due at a Common Council meeting on Friday, November 6, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.

Consent Calendar

The following unanimous or routine actions were approved on committee reports (with specific contested votes noted in later sections):

• Approved minutes of September 1, 2026.
• Placed on file the City Clerk’s commendatory/condolatory resolutions (14-0; Ald. Chambers excused).
• Approved the Licenses Committee recommendation to renew with a 15-day suspension the Class B Tavern and Public Entertainment Premise license of Sterling O. Odom for ‘The Lower Level Lounge’ at 207 E Buffalo St #LL, based on a threat to public health, safety, or welfare and failure to comply with the approved plan of operations (15-0).
• Public Works Committee: approved license recommendations; passed ordinances on parking-facility data, unauthorized closure of public rights of way, closure notification/fines, and no mow May; adopted resolutions on a third self-help drop-off center, DNR Principal Forgiven Financial Assistance Agreement, South Powerline Trail cost-sharing MOU with Greenfield and West Allis, WisDOT highway agreements (North Green Bay Road/STH 57 at estimated $800,000 total, $200,000 city share and $600,000 grantor share; West Capitol Drive/STH 190 at estimated $855,000 total, $205,200 city share, $641,250 grantor share, $8,550 from Wauwatosa), MMSD Green Solutions bioswale grant along West Lapham Boulevard, various assessable/nonassessable public improvement funding resolutions (totals of $104,600, $350,000, $4,677,000, and $9,112,040.17), and placed on file lead service line and dust control communications.
• Finance and Personnel Committee: adopted resolutions on BMO Harris Bank contribution account for City Vendor Fair, travel authorization, increased 2026 Tax Incremental Borrowing Authority, and Firefighters Relief Fund special purpose account; passed ordinances amending 2026 offices/positions and employee wages/benefits/regulations (15-0); placed on file multiple communications including audits, fiscal forecast, position authority, and salary recruitment-rate changes.
• Judiciary and Legislation Committee: adopted resolutions on claims/settlements (April Minor, Susan Quinn, Sherry Kelly, Janet Wilhelms, Noack/Smith v. City, MBI Properties v. City), real estate tax cancellations, American Serb Hall lease for early voting site, and state legislative package opposing nicotine pouch marketing to youth; disallowed and indefinitely postponed appeals of Martha Malik and Joshua Falls. (Minutes record these as 15-0; the transcript reports 14-0 with Ald. Stamper excused during the Judiciary roll call.)
• Public Safety and Health Committee: passed parking control, traffic control, and time-limited food truck zone ordinances; adopted resolutions on health department sponsorship agreements, DNR air quality monitoring station, CARGOS grant, Maternal Health fatherhood grant, Family Foundations home visiting grant, WIC grant, and third-party payer reimbursements.
• Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee: passed the Climate and Equity Plan update; passed the Metcalfe Park Liberation Hub zoning change and rental property inspection program ordinances; adopted resolutions on zoning analysis fund transfer, the 15th district rental inspection designation, sale of 2872 S 8th St, TID No. 137 (310W East Tower), and BID 21 maintenance agreement for Vel R. Phillips Plaza; confirmed Ayanna Ellzey to the Housing Authority (14-0; Ald. Pratt abstained, twice after reconsideration).
• Community and Economic Development Committee: adopted resolutions creating Neighborhood Improvement District No. 13 (Metcalfe Park), Business Improvement District No. 57 (Lincoln Village), declaring Viva Nuestra Herencia an official city event, and reallocating up to $3,666 from Mi Milwaukee to Hispanic Heritage Month; confirmed numerous appointments/nominations, including Kayle Phillips (14-0; Ald. Coggs abstained).
• Adopted all five matters for immediate adoption: release of no-vehicular-access restrictions on West Mill Road, approval/conditional approval of final certified survey maps, release of deed restrictions for 2118 W McKinley Ave, and recognition of Week Without Driving (Oct 1–8, 2026).

Discussion Items

• Elected official salaries (251682 / 260544): Debate centered on salary increases for the 2028-2032 term. Ald. Brower supported the increases, arguing competitive pay is necessary to attract serious candidates; Ald. Spiker opposed, saying the 2% annual increases are new policy distinct from correcting past legal advice; Ald. Chambers said the measure corrects bad advice from the prior city attorney about the 2024 vote; Ald. Zamarripa asked for a roll call because of rising community costs.
• Concrete panel replacement (260699): Ald. Burgelis successfully moved to substitute the resolution to remove up to $800,000 in contingent borrowing for contractors. Ald. Brower voted no, stating he supports in-house crews and believes the city should attract, retain, and grow its workforce; he noted city employees could earn more in the private sector and said raises proposed in the budget would not take effect until the second quarter of next year.
• Metcalfe Park Liberation Hub (260294): Ald. Stamper praised neighborhood leaders Melanie and Donnell Cross and developer Anthony Casey, saying the community earned the development. The zoning change from RT3 to NS2 passed unanimously.
• Rental property inspection program (260363/260362): Ald. Stamper presented data: 236 eligible rental properties in the 15th district, nearly 58% received at least one complaint between 2023 and 2025, and complaints grew from 106 in 2023 to 214 in 2025—more than doubling and about five times faster than citywide. He described the five-year pilot as data-driven, with compliant properties generally exempt from re-inspection for five years and repeated violators facing continued accountability.
• Week Without Driving (260796): Ald. Moore spoke in favor of the resolution recognizing Oct 1–8, 2026 as Week Without Driving, encouraging residents and city employees to reduce driving and reflect on transportation barriers. She noted a press conference on September 28 and partnership with Milwaukee County.

Key Outcomes

• The 2027 budget was formally referred to the Finance and Personnel Committee; public hearings are set for October 5 and October 17, 2026, with a council report due November 6, 2026.
• Substitute ordinance on elected official salaries was passed 10-5 (No: Jackson, Zamarripa, Moore, Burgelis, Spiker).
• Rates of pay ordinance was passed 11-4 (No: Zamarripa, Moore, Burgelis, Spiker) after amendment adding ‘except as prohibited by s. 755.04, Wis. Stats.’ to footnote 9.
• Concrete panel expediting resolution was passed 14-1 (No: Brower) after removing $800,000 contingent borrowing.
• Milwaukee Police Department patrol staffing/resource communication was initially placed on file, then reconsidered and referred back to Public Safety and Health Committee due September 29, 2026.
• All other committee recommendations and immediate adoption items were approved as described above.