Tax levy increases as City of Sheboygan passes 2024 budget and Capital Improvements Program

SHEBOYGAN — The Common Council passed the City of Sheboygan’s 2024 budget during its meeting last week.

The budget features a total revenue of $117.9 million, an increase of about $17,000 from 2023. Expenditures for 2024 totaled $136.6 million, increasing about $12,000 compared to last year.

In addition to those increases, the tax levy increased to $27.1 million, a rise of roughly $600,000.

The budget passed with a 7-0-1 vote.

The Capital Improvements Program

The 2024-2028 Capital Improvements Program, a planning tool outlining approved projects for 2024 and plans for projects spanning the next few years, was also approved at the meeting.

One major project included in the program is the construction of a new firehouse Station 3.

In 2023, the CIP included $2 million for planning and land acquisition for the new station.

For 2024, $6 million was approved to fund construction.

The current station was built in 1971 and the last major structural repair was the roof in 2008, according to the CIP. The station does not meet the “current or projected needs,” and as it stands requires major equipment replacement.

The total cost of the multi-year project is projected to total $14 million.

Another project in the CIP is a pedestrian bridge that will connect South Pier and Downtown Sheboygan. The bridge will allow people to walk and bike across the Sheboygan River without going around to South Eighth Street with the cars.

For 2024, $250,000 was approved to go toward design services for the bridge. That cost and service will also be present in 2025.

Construction is projected to begin in 2027 with a cost of $8 million.

Additionally, the CIP includes $200,000 for planning of the Harbor Centre Marina Revitalization and Repurpose project.

This project is an effort to revitalize the 30-year-old marina that has reached the “end of its useful life,” according to the CIP.

In 2025 and 2026, $6 million will go toward construction on the project.

The CIP was approved with a 7-1 vote by the Common Council.

2023 Capital Improvement Plans: A new dam, park splash pad and more: Here are four Sheboygan-area capital projects coming in 2023

2024 budget public hearing

During last week’s meeting, members of the community were allowed to voice their comments and concerns surrounding the budget. Kathy Badtke, Jim Van Akkeren and Braden Schmidt spoke.

Badtke, a page at Mead Library, pled to the council to change the current $15 minimum wage pay scale under Sheboygan Municipal Code Section 18-1.

Municipal Code Explainer: Sheboygan committee sends 2024 budget to Common Council for public hearing and vote

The current scale brings all employees of the city who were previously paid less than $15 an hour up to that baseline, but they will not receive cost-of-living adjustments until their original pay catches up to the $15.

Badtke said she and her co-workers, who were also at the meeting, were grateful for the increase to $15.

“We were quite shocked and disappointed this year when we were told we wouldn’t be getting a cost-of-living raise,” Badtke said. “Not only that, but those of us who have been working there for less than five years, it could be eight to 10 years before getting a raise.”

Badtke went on to say research shows a livable wage in Wisconsin is between $15.26 per hour and $16.06. This year, a livable wage for a single, childless adult in Wisconsin is about $16, PBS Wisconsin reported.

Badtke asked the council how this could have happened, was this an oversight, or worse, did they know and not address it?

“Who would want to work somewhere that doesn’t compensate people fairly or show appreciation for their hard work?” she asked. “Who would want to start a job where they won’t get any kind of raise for eight to 10 years?”

She said this needs to be remedied or some capable and hardworking people will find jobs elsewhere.

Van Akkeren, chairperson of the Sustainable Sheboygan Task Force, spoke to the committee about sustainable living.

He pointed the council to the Task Force’s submission of the Sustainable Sheboygan Vision Statement. The resolution asked the council to adopt the statement as a guide for creating an action plan to ensure a sustainable future.

The resolution passed 7-1 later in the meeting.

He also mentioned how if the city switched to electric vehicles, a large portion of the oil and gasoline cost would be saved.

“I'm encouraging you, in your committees when it comes to spending this money, that you will look at these sorts of things that can make this city much more sustainable now and into the future.”

Braden Schmidt spoke in favor of including money for updating the city’s comprehensive plan and zoning codes.

Schmidt referenced state legislation passed over the summer allowing developers to receive loans to help combat the housing crisis. However, to take advantage of the program, the city must update its zoning codes.

“We talked about a number of different factors that go into homelessness and housing,” Schmidt said. “Our zoning code is a huge part of that in terms of the structural factors that go into creating more housing."

Have a story tip or public interest concern? Contact Sam Bailey at sgbailey@gannett.com or 573-256-9937. To stay up to date on her stories and other news, follow her on X (Twitter) @SamarahBailey.

This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: City of Sheboygan passes 2024 budget, Capital Improvements Program