2026 Budget Includes Lowest Tax Rate in 40 Years, plus more updates
postedHi Everyone,
The Common Council last week passed the city's capital and operating budgets for 2026. Council worked with the Mayor to pass a budget with the lowest tax rate in 40 years. Consequently, the city portion of your property taxes will increase only marginally, with an annual increase of $30 for the average-valued home. For more details, please click here.
Here are the rest of this week's updates:
Holiday Fantasy in Lights, Saturday, November 15, through Monday, January 5, 2026: Lighted holiday-themed displays have returned to beautiful Olin Park. Drive through from dusk until 10:00pm to enjoy this magical light show for free, brought to you by The Electric Group.
Yard Waste Collection: Look up your set out dates for leaf and yard waste collection.
Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings
Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.
- Finance Committee: The Finance Committee meeting will take place on Monday, November 17, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include approving the 2026 Urban Forestry and Resource Recovery special charges.
- Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, November 17, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include development-related requests in Districts 4, 6, 10, 11, and 15.
- Housing Policy Committee: The Housing Policy Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 18, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include allowing four dwelling units to be permitted throughout the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Overlay District and prohibiting car washes, automobile sales and rentals, and standalone surface parking lot facilities as principal land uses within the TOD Overlay District.
- Transportation Commission: The Transportation Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 19, at 5:00 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include prohibiting car washes, automobile sales and rentals, and standalone surface parking lot facilities as principal land uses within the Transit Oriented Development Overlay District.
- Disability Rights Commission: The Disability Rights Commission meeting will take place on Thursday, November 20, at 5:00 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include adopting the updated Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan.
If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.
Public Information Meetings (PIMs)
- Public Information Meeting - Well 12 Reconstruction, Thursday, November 20: Madison Water Utility will be hosting a public information meeting for the Well 12 Reconstruction Project on November 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM at 4020 Mineral Point Road. All members of the public are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be provided.
Announcements and News Releases
- Engage with Madison's Downtown Alders at the Downtown Dialogue Meet & Greet: The City of Madison invites community members to attend an upcoming Downtown Alders Meet and Greet on Tuesday, November 18, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Madison Senior Center. This informal event provides residents, business owners, and visitors… [posted November 13, 2025]
- City of Madison marks World Day of Remembrance for road traffic victims : In recognition of World Day of Remembrance on November 16th, the City of Madison has installed a memorial to remember the victims of traffic fatalities. [posted November 12,
- City of Madison Interested in Expanding Market and Community Gardening : The City of Madison is seeking to gauge interest in utilizing city-owned land for market and community garden spaces. [posted November 10, 2025]
- Meet the Finalists for the State Street Campus Garage/Hawthorne Court Public Art Project: The City of Madison is inviting three finalists to propose designs for public art in the new State Street Campus Garage and adjacent Hawthorne Court. [posted November 10, 2025]
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway Proposes Amendment to Lower Property Taxes : Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Council Leadership are proposing an amendment to the 2026 Budget to maintain the historically low property tax increase proposed in her executive operating budget. [posted November 10, 2025]
Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.
Events
- Conservation Workday, Thursday, November 20 (This event occurs on multiple dates): Work off-trail alongside expert volunteers from the Friends of Cherokee Marsh, using hand loppers to help cut invasive brush to make room for native wildflowers, grasses, trees, and shrubs.
- Conservation Volunteer Workday, Saturday, November 15 (This event occurs on multiple dates): We invite volunteers to help make a difference in the health of our local environment by joining us for invasive species removal. These hands-on conservation efforts are essential in restoring native ecosystems and ensuring the vitality of our natural spaces.
- Bird & Nature Adventures | Edna Taylor, Saturday, November 22 (This event occurs on multiple dates): Join a naturalist for an easy, family-friendly walk from Aldo Leopold Nature Center into beautiful Edna Taylor Conservation Park and enjoy a bit of nature education along the way.
Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.
That's all for now.
Take care and stay safe,
Tag
Alder Tag Evers
District 13
Contact Alder Evers