Fiscal Facts

Massive data centers being proposed and built in Wisconsin would significantly increase demand for water and electricity. 

Even with participation in registered apprenticeships at record levels, opportunities remain to further expand these programs in specific regions and occupations of the state.

Gross K-12 school property taxes in Wisconsin are rising 7.8% on December bills, the largest increase in more than three decades. As a result of these and tax levies imposed by other units of local government, total tax levies are expected to see their biggest jump since at least 2018.

Venture capital investment in metro Milwaukee rose to record levels in 2024, marking progress in an area that has been a long-term weakness of its innovation economy. 

By the end of 2025, nearly half of all Wisconsinites will be required to pay a fee to their municipality or county to register their vehicle.

A growing number of Wisconsin teachers hold emergency licenses, reflecting staffing needs and a greater reliance on non-traditional routes into the classroom. 

Fire and emergency medical services (EMS) responders in Walworth County face challenges with staffing their agencies and funding their capital needs. Meanwhile, some of the county’s smaller departments continue to rely on a volunteer model that has become increasingly difficult to sustain. 

Madison’s proposed budget for 2026 highlights the city’s recent financial turnaround, as it would increase staffing and service levels while limiting the city’s property tax increase to roughly the rate of inflation.

Milwaukee County’s proposed 2026 budget avoids position cuts and service reductions in most departments, but it also shows significant cracks in the county’s recent budget stability.

Milwaukee’s 2026 budget proposal shows how far the city has come since 2022, when the Forum warned that soaring pension costs and a daunting array of fiscal challenges threatened to force “untenable budget cuts” unless prompt action was taken.