Overview
- The Common Council overrode all of Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s budget vetoes, with the mayor criticizing the decision and questioning the city’s checks and balances.
- Fire apparatus funding was reinstated to the council’s level, with outlets reporting figures ranging from $8 million to $10 million and one noting an added roughly $9 million to the 2026 budget.
- Fire Chief Aaron Lipski has warned several frontline trucks exceed the recommended 15-year lifespan, recent breakdowns included a wheel detaching from a reserve ladder truck, and units were borrowed from Cudahy and Wauwatosa.
- The adopted language also directs the Fire Department to study modern deployment strategies, including using light‑duty vehicles for medical calls to extend the life of heavy apparatus.
- The council approved a four‑year, roughly $50 million police contract that includes across‑the‑board raises, retroactive pay for 2023–2025, a 15% compounded increase through 2026, and protection from officer furloughs through at least 2028.