Dane County proposes nearly $947 million budget, with higher property tax bills, body cameras and housing investments

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The average Madison homeowner could pay about $20.67 more in county property taxes next year under a nearly $947 million budget proposed by Dane County Executive Melissa Agard on Thursday.

The proposal also includes $3 million to expand body cameras for sheriff’s deputies, $20 million for affordable housing and $2.1 million for a new shelter for women and families experiencing homelessness.

Agard says the county has reduced its projected budget shortfall while continuing to fund services and new projects.

“This continues to be a challenging time for local governments to be able to budget. But this budget shows real progress,” Agard said...

...Housing and homelessness

The proposed budget includes $20 million for the county’s Affordable Housing Development Fund.

“These dollars allow us to partner with communities and housing developers and leverage additional funding to build and preserve affordable homes all across Dane County,” Agard said.

Another $2.1 million would support the Salvation Army’s new shelter for women and families experiencing homelessness.

“This budget supports a new, purpose-built shelter for women and families ... to help replace the aging Salvation Army facility,” Agard said. “It will be designed better to serve our families and kids who are experiencing homelessness.”

The county also plans to use money from opioid settlements to help people in recovery access housing and support services.

“Recovery is so much harder if you do not have that stable housing,” Agard said.

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Leo's notes: Dane County’s proposed 2027 budget includes $20 million for its Affordable Housing Development Fund, continuing county investment intended to leverage additional public and private dollars for affordable housing development and preservation. Local governments increasingly need to treat housing as essential infrastructure rather than a standalone social program, particularly when public dollars can close financing gaps and unlock projects that otherwise would not happen. The challenge is ensuring investments like Dane County’s produce additional housing supply—across a range of incomes and housing types—rather than simply making increasingly expensive projects possible.