Mayor’s Column November 6, 2026
Rohn Bishop, Mayor of Waupun
Hello Waupun,
Every year, the budget asks the same question: how do we keep Waupun a great place to live without asking more of our taxpayers than we need to? Waupun residents get a lot for their tax dollar. Your city taxes pay for police, ambulance, and fire protection, plowed streets, yard waste pickup, the pool, the Community Center, the library, and our parks. Many cities of our size can’t offer all of that. And Waupun delivers it while keeping one of the lowest tax rates among neighboring communities, as you’ll see in the budget presentation. That’s a strong value, and protecting it is the goal of this budget.
This year, state levy limits allow our levy to grow by less than $30,000, while our costs are rising far faster than that. The 2027 budget answers the question of how to keep this a great place to live by making choices to invest in those things that protect our ability to deliver essential services and keep costs in check. Positively impacting this budget are investments in the following things:
• Smart investments. Three years ago, we established a shared employee wellness clinic with Waupun Area School District. Utilization of the clinic is reducing employee benefits costs. For 2027, our health plan renewal comes in at a 1% premium increase, which is far better than industry norms.
• Shared Resources. Our shared service agreement enters year two with our neighboring townships. The agreement is helping ensure that each partner community pays its fair share of fire protection and this is positively impacting City taxpayers.
• Investment in people. Across all departments we’re evaluating organizational structures and investing to plan for succession, employee retention and recruitment. Having the right people to deliver essential services is crucial and this plan helps us to accomplish that. In 2026, we finalized negotiation of a new police contract that takes affect in 2027 and have reorganized staffing structures at the library, in public works and at the community center to better deliver services at a high level.
• Pursuit of alternative funding. Grants stretch your tax dollars further. In 2027, a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) helps fund long-needed improvements around Park and North Grove Streets, with construction finishing in 2028. This budget supports the staff time needed to win and manage grants like these. We are also reviewing fees to make sure they cover the cost of the services they are designed to support.
• Careful planning and forecasting. Looking ahead, the cost to borrow for large capital improvements and equipment is forecasted to increase. For 2027, we are evaluating plans and will prioritize spending to manage the impact of future borrowing to our levy.
As presented, the 2027 budget is balanced and meets the State’s Expenditure Restraint Program limit, which caps how fast the City’s general fund spending can grow. Staying within that cap keeps Waupun eligible for state aid that helps hold down local property taxes.
While we’re working to contain cost overall, unfunded state mandates continue to be a challenge. Stormwater rules, for example, require us to build and maintain storm ponds to keep runoff out of our rivers, with no state funding to help pay for them. At the same time, the state is sitting on a big budget surplus. That money should be used to help communities like ours cover these types of costs with the balance returned to Wisconsin residents in the form of tax relief.
We’re also keeping a close eye on Madison. A new governor and Legislature will take office in January and write the next state budget. Their decisions on shared revenue, levy limits, mandates, and tax policy could change our budget in a big way. We will work with our legislators so they understand how those decisions affect Waupun and the services you count on.
The road ahead won’t get easier. We will have to keep making choices based on what matters most to our community. I’m proud of how hard our staff works to stretch every dollar, and I’m grateful for your trust.
Thank you and God Bless,
Mayor Rohn
