Waukesha Times

On November 14, 2024, Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow signed the 2025 County Budget. The budget, nearly $400 million in total, was passed unanimously by the Waukesha County Board of Supervisors on November 12th with two minor amendments. This marks the fifth consecutive year of unanimous approval for the county budget.

The new budget reflects a decrease of $2.9 million from the previous year. "Residents expect a secure community, one marked by low crime rates and high-quality services. They count on us to meet this standard. We are managing, but only through significant cuts to the non-state mandated portion of our budget," said County Executive Paul Farrow.

In the 2025 County Budget, 44% or $51 million is allocated to state-mandated programs, which impacts funding for other county priorities.

Key aspects of this year's budget include maintaining Waukesha County's status as a low-tax leader. The county tax rate will be reduced for the eleventh consecutive year under Executive Farrow's leadership. The 2025 budget lowers the tax rate from $1.39 per thousand dollars of home value to $1.35, representing a 3% decrease and marking the lowest tax rate in over thirty years. This positions Waukesha County to likely continue having the second-lowest effective tax rate among Wisconsin's 72 counties.