DANE COUNTY — Dane County Executive Melissa Agard today released budget guidelines for the 2027 county budget, highlighting significant progress in the county’s financial outlook while emphasizing the need for continued fiscal discipline to protect the services residents count on.

Earlier this spring, the Department of Administration released an updated budget outlook showing meaningful improvement in Dane County’s fiscal position. Through responsible financial management, difficult but necessary decisions, and stronger year-end financial performance across county operations, the county’s projected 2027 structural deficit has been reduced from $31.8 million to approximately $15 million.

“That progress did not happen by accident,” said County Executive Agard. “County staff and department leaders across government stepped up in a big way over the last year to manage resources carefully while continuing to deliver the high-quality public services people depend on every day. The decisions we made together were not easy, but they are helping put Dane County on stronger financial footing for the future.”

Agard said the improved outlook is encouraging, but warned that significant fiscal challenges remain. Rising health care and personnel costs, inflationary pressures, uncertainty surrounding federal and state funding, and the continued costs of delivering mandated county services continue to place strain on local governments across Wisconsin.

“We have a responsibility to be honest about the challenges in front of us,” Agard said. “Fiscal responsibility is not about abandoning our values or walking away from the people who rely on county services. It is about making sure we can continue delivering those services not just today, but for years to come.”

As part of the 2027 budget process, county departments will collectively be asked to identify $10 million in General Purpose Revenue reductions. Unlike last year’s budget process, the county will not implement uniform across-the-board cuts. Instead, departments will receive individualized reduction targets based on a more tailored framework.

Agard also said her administration has been in communication with the Insurance Advisory Committee to explore options for reducing employee health insurance costs as part of the broader effort to address the remaining structural deficit.

Additional 2027 budget guidance includes:

  • No new GPR-funded positions should be requested
  • Extreme restraint should be used when considering new capital requests
  • Departments should review existing programs and services for opportunities to better align resources, reduce duplication, and ensure programs continue to meet current community needs
  • Departments should seek partnerships and service delivery models that improve efficiency and reduce long-term county costs
  • Departments should identify operational efficiencies and cost-saving measures that can be sustained beyond a single budget year

Agard said Dane County’s continued growth and investments have helped meet the needs of a rapidly growing community, but have also increased ongoing operational costs that must be managed carefully moving forward.

“People choose to live in Dane County because of the strength of this community and the quality of the services we provide,” Agard said. “Our responsibility now is to protect that strength while ensuring county government remains financially stable, resilient, and affordable for future generations.”

County Executive Agard will be announcing a series of budget listening sessions across Dane County in the coming days.