County Executive Signs 2022 Waukesha County Adopted Budget

WAUKESHA COUNTY, WI— Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow signed the 2022 county budget during Thursday's County Board of Supervisors meeting.

The approved budget cuts the county tax rate for the eighth consecutive year and makes public safety and justice both top priorities, according to a county news release.

The tax rate will drop from $1.76 to $1.68 per thousand dollars of home value, the lowest in at least the last 33 years, the release said.

It also reduces borrowing by $700,000 from 2021 levels as part of a capital plan that helps guide the long-term financial health of the County.

The budget focuses on funding for public safety and justice including over $1.2 million supporting those areas.

• The sheriff's department will receive $825,000 to support operations.
• More than $215,000 will be allocated to public safety programs, like the Department of Emergency Preparedness, which includes 911 Dispatch.
• Courts and the District Attorney's Office combined will receive more than $153,000 to fund operations, with additional resources prioritized to help address the case backlog created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The budget invests in infrastructure, which includes:

• Five construction projects planned to improve Moorland Road.
• Phase one of the county's courthouse project is wrapping up and is expected to finish under budget. In 2022, phase two of the project will begin which includes renovation of the 1959 courthouse building.

“Our residents want to live in a safe, economically vibrant community and this budget supports that,” Farrow said in a statement. “We are investing in justice and public safety and business-friendly initiatives while keeping taxes low.

The 2022 budget also continues to fund the Public Health Division’s response to COVID-19, and a team has been created to focus on management and implementation of American Recovery Plan Act federal funds, the release said.