Explaining property taxes; Get involved in envisioning downtown; Love our Lakes Council discussion Tuesday; Events & Announcements

Hello neighbors,

I know you’ve received your end-of-year tax bills, and for some it may be a bit of a shock. I was going to write about how more than 1/2 of your property taxes are going to MMSD schools, with just 1/3 going to the City of Madison, and that this over-reliance on property taxes to fund local services is a result of actions at the state legislature. But my colleagues in Fitchburg already wrote about this very eloquently, so I will direct you to their column. In addition, you may be interested in the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s review of our state’s high reliance on property taxes vs. other states, yet our overall tax burden is actually lower than comparators.

We are often asked about lowering property taxes for seniors. The state legislature prevents us from treating anyone differently in regards to their tax responsibilities, but the City does have a program to help low-income seniors with their tax payments. Please check with your financial advisor or bank to see if this program is right for you.

Updates and Notices

Envision Downtown Madison kick-off meeting materials are now available! Thanks to the approximately 175 people who attended the Envision Downtown Madison kick-off meeting on December 2nd. If you missed the meeting, you can still participate as all meeting materials are now available on the Downtown Area Plan webpage. This includes the meeting video, presentation slides, and digital versions of the engagement activities. A summary of comments will be prepared and shared in early 2026. See the Spanish version of the video recording here. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule a conversation or presentation with City staff, please reach out to downtownplan@cityofmadison.com

John Nolen Drive Project: Get current information about road closures and construction updates for John Nolen Drive.

Public Information Meetings (PIMs)

• Far West Operations Building, Monday, December 15: A public information meeting is scheduled for this project at 6 p.m., Dec. 15, 2025, via Zoom. Registration prior is required.

Announcements and News Releases

• Love Our Lakes: City Strategies to Maintain and Improve Lake Health: The City of Madison Common Council will host a focused discussion titled “Love Our Lakes: City Strategies to Maintain and Improve Lake Health.” This conversation will highlight both ongoing and future initiatives to protect, restore, and enhance our local lakes.
• Affordable Housing Fund to Support 400+ New Homes: The City of Madison’s Common Council has approved nearly $14 million from the Affordable Housing Fund to support the creation of approximately 425 new rental homes across the City, with more than 260 of those offering permanent affordability.
• Common Council passes third Housing Forward package of 2025: The City of Madison Common Council approved two more housing-focused ordinances during its December 9 meeting, capping off a year of impactful policy changes to make it easier to build more homes across Madison.
• Streets Division Drop-off Sites on Winter Hours until April 11, 2026: The Streets Division drop-off sites at 4602 Sycamore Avenue and 402 South Point Road are now on winter hours. The winter hours began on Friday, December 5, 2025. The last day for winter hours is Friday, April 10, 2026.
• New Snowplow Trading Cards Now Available!: The City of Madison is proud to present a new set of trading cards featuring our named snowplowing fleet. The cards are available for free at any Madison Public Library location and from the Streets Division offices while supplies last.
• Did you know? Olbrich botanical gardens offers a wide range of classes from planting to painting to movement. Check out their course catalog!

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 Volunteer Workday, Saturday, December 20: 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 | Starkweather Creek Area, Saturday, December 20: Holiday Nature Walk ~ Join Friends of Starkweather Creek for a healthy holiday walk outdoors to enjoy the beauty of winter along Starkweather Creek!  
• Bird & Nature Adventures | Warner Park, Sunday, December 21: Winter Solstice Walk ~ Join Naturalists Kathlean Wolf and Robin Kling for a fun free family and kid friendly walk on easy paths along Warner Pond Lagoon and through Warner Woods to the top of Sled Hill.
• Holiday Fantasy in Lights, Saturday, November 15, through Monday, January 5, 2026: Lighted holiday-themed displays set in 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.
• Save the date: The Capital Area Regional Planning Commission will hold a public hearing convening at 6:00 PM, January 8, 2026, for the purpose of public input on a proposed amendment to the Dane County Water Quality Plan, updating the Policies and Criteria for the Review of Sewer Service Area Amendments. This update will supersede the current Policies and Criteria for the Review of [Major] Sewer Service Area Amendments (adopted April 13, 2017) and Policies and Criteria for the Review of Minor Sewer Service Area Amendments (adopted February 13, 2020). These updates seek to clarify submittal requirements, align with statutory requirements, generally improve the process, and increase alignment with the Agency's vision and mission. The draft Policies and Criteria for the Review of Sewer Service Area Amendments is posted on the Urban Service Areas webpage of the CARPC website.
• Save the date: Vaccine clinic at Meadowood Health Partnership, January 9, 2026, 1-3pm. Children 18 and under who have no insurance for immunizations, have Medical Assistance or BadgerCare, or are Native American or Alaska Native are eligible. Adults 19 and older who do not have insurance are eligible for Covid and flu vaccines.
• Save the date: Loving Orphaned Space: The Art and Science of Belonging on Earth, January 20, 11:30am-1pm, Arboretum Visitor Center Auditorium. Register no later than January 10.

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.

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.

• Common Council: The Common Council special meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 16, at 6:00 p.m. in hybrid format. This is a special meeting to appoint election inspectors.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Common Council – Discussion: The Common Council discussion will take place on Tuesday, December 16, immediately following the special meeting, which starts at 6:00 p.m., in Room 215 of the Madison Municipal Building. This is a discussion on City strategies to maintain and improve lake health.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Watch Online
• Plan Commission: The Plan Commission meeting will take place on Monday, December 15, at 5:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include development-related requests in Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 15, and 18.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online
• Urban Design Commission: The Urban Design Commission meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 17, at 4:30 p.m. in virtual format. Agenda items include the Woodland Reserve development proposal in District 5.
  • Meeting Details
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Register for Public Comment
  • Watch Online

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

Stay warm!

Regina Vidaver