On November 18, the Common Council adopted the City’s 2026 operating budget. Below is a recap of key decisions and what they mean for residents, along with a breakdown of how much the average resident pays each month for core city services.
Yard Waste: Maintaining Biweekly Service for All Residents
Throughout the budget process, several options were considered for yard waste collection, including shifting to a subscription model. Ultimately, the Council approved an amendment that keeps biweekly yard waste collection citywide.
To reduce costs, the number of biweekly curbside collections will shift from 13 to 11 cycles per year. This maintains yard waste collection for all residents while helping reduce costs slightly.
Additional changes include:
- No subscription model - all residents keep access to biweekly pickup.
- Yard waste drop-off remains available at the Drop Off Center for a fee.
- New optional yard waste carts will be available for purchase, with details coming in 2026.
Fire Department: Unfunding One Firefighter Position
We place a high value on public safety, and fire and EMS demand continue to rise. At the same time, funding these services becomes more challenging each year due to state revenue limits.
To meet its 2026 budget reduction target of $511,000, the Fire Department proposed leaving one additional firefighter position unfunded. This creates a $110,000 savings and will be absorbed through attrition - not layoffs.
What does this mean in practice?
At times, an engine may be temporarily unavailable because there aren’t enough firefighters to staff it. This is known as a “brownout.” During these periods, other Wauwatosa units will respond, or mutual aid partners will cover the call.
While not ideal, this approach allows the department to stay within budget while maintaining overall emergency response.
Investments in Public Safety Technology
Since 2021, the Police Department has used Axon body-worn cameras, squad cameras, and interview room cameras for digital evidence collection. With the current contract expiring at the end of 2025, the 2026 budget includes $170,000 toward a new 10-year contract with Axon, one of the few providers of integrated body-camera systems.
Additionally, the department requested $8,400 for a second drone. Because drones have limited battery life, a second unit ensures continuous aerial coverage during extended operations and backup availability when one drone is down for maintenance.
Wauwatosa’s drone has already supported critical operations, from locating a robbery suspect to providing situational awareness at major community events like Tosa Fest.
What You Pay: Monthly Cost of City Services
For a Wauwatosa single-family home with an average assessed value of $418,800, here’s the approximate monthly cost of City services:
- General Government, $15.01
- Police, $51.76
- Fire, $40.27
- Other Public Safety, $2.71
- Public Works, $17.88
- Health, $4.85
- Conservation and Development, $8.01
- Library, $12.08
- Debt, $31.02
- Parks, $4.46
- Capital, $4.59
That means for $192.65 per month, you have emergency response when you need it, clean water, Public Works services (including garbage, recycling, yard waste, forestry, street maintenance, and more), access to parks and open spaces, Wauwatosa Public Library resources and programming, and other city services.
Not Included in the Budget
Please note that these budget discussions do not include the potential fire merger between Wauwatosa and West Allis, effects of the August 2025 flood, or a potential remodel of the library and city hall building. This is because the budget was assembled before important funding and operational decisions related to these topics.
