Milwaukee County Board to vote on budget with $4.56 million gap
County officials attribute the discrepancy to a formula error in a recently automated process.
By Ayanda Boateng ·
Milwaukee County faces a $4.56 million shortfall in its upcoming budget, a figure revealed in a memo to the County Board on November 4, 2026.
The discrepancy was identified in an automated formula that replaced a manual calculation process. The Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance corrected the formula after the error was found. A spokesperson for County Executive David Crowley stated that the office acted immediately to create a solution and prevent the issue from recurring. Crowley expressed confidence that the county will end 2027 with a balanced budget.
The memo was distributed ahead of the board vote scheduled for Thursday, November 5. Officials told FOX6 that the timing was dictated by the upcoming budget meeting rather than the recent election. They noted that it took time to diagnose the specific cause of the error and to develop methods to fill the financial gap.
The Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance, along with the Office of the Comptroller, has reviewed potential ways to offset the impact of the error. Proposed offsets include capturing additional prescription drug rebates and utilizing cash balances from capital projects that are scheduled to close in 2027. The offices will also monitor departmental operating budgets for savings or surplus funds that can be applied to the shortfall.
