As Dane County begins work on its 2026 budget, County Executive Melissa Agard outlined the significant fiscal challenges ahead in a memo to her department heads and Constitutional officers. She called for a united, community-first approach to preserving the county’s high quality of life.
Even with continued population growth and a thriving local economy, Dane County is facing a projected $31 million structural budget deficit in 2026. The driving forces behind this fiscal outlook include rising operational costs, ongoing state underfunding of mandated services, inflation-driven capital project expenses and deepening uncertainty from the federal government.
Despite the uncertainty, Agard said her top priority is protecting core services for residents — including public health, human services, emergency response and environmental sustainability — while working to ensure affordability for families.
To manage this deficit responsibly, Agard is asking county departments to submit budgets with a 4% base reduction and to refrain from requesting new staff positions or major capital projects. She emphasized the need to reevaluate existing programs for efficiency and explore public-private partnerships to sustain services in more cost-effective ways.
Throughout this process, Agard pledged to partner with the County Board, county departments, nonprofit agencies and the community to develop a transparent and fair budget. To inform that process, Agard will host a Budget Listening Session on June 4 at 5:30 p.m. at the Alliant Energy Center. Residents are encouraged to attend and share ideas and priorities as the county works to navigate this budget period.
