PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The city of Oshkosh is set to introduce its 2026 budget to the Common Council — and it’s seeking applicants to fill a vacancy in an at-large council seat.
On Tuesday, City Manager Rebecca Grill and various department heads will present the 2026 budget proposal to the Oshkosh Common Council. Officials say they are recommending a flat tax levy, resulting in a lower city tax rate for taxpayers than the previous year (a proposed rate of $7.73, down from last year’s $8.14).
“The goal is to offer a budget for council consideration that preserves current service levels and minimizes any increased financial impact for taxpayers,” said Grill in a news release.
We are pleased to propose a budget to the Common Council that would not only lower the tax rate for the city’s portion of property taxes, but also relies less on our fund balance to finance operations than last year.
According to the city, the 2026 budget “plans for Oshkosh’s strong financial future by allocating funding for key strategic investments and streamlining city operations while lowering the city tax rate.” Priorities include:
- Ensuring the continuity of high-quality services for Oshkosh’s residents and business owners
- Creating a Community and Engagement Division focused on strategic alignment, clear proactive communication and readily available resources
- Making targeted technology investments to improve the customer experience and streamline operations
- Focusing attention on both pressing, immediate needs and opportunities to safeguard Oshkosh’s financial future
“Our residents, taxpayers and business owners are our top priority,” says Grill. “We developed a budget for 2026 that fosters investment in our community and provides efficient, effective services for our residents — all while lowering the city’s property tax rate.”
A budget workshop will be held Tuesday and another, if needed, will take place Wednesday. From there, a public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. and the Common Council will adopt the budget Nov. 11.
City residents are invited to submit their applications for a newly-vacated seat on the Oshkosh Common Council. Kris Larson resigned last Thursday to avoid a conflict of interest, as the city is considering purchasing the building which houses his restaurant.
“I would like to thank Mr. Larson for his dedicated service to the City of Oshkosh,” said Mayor Matt Mugerauer in a news release. “We are, without a doubt, better off because of his service.”
While he will be missed on council, I’m confident that Kris will continue to strongly advocate for ways to make Oshkosh a better place to live, work, play and invest.
The appointment to the at-large seat would run through April 2026.
Applicants should submit a letter of interest and résumé to the City Clerk’s office no later than 4:30 p.m. Nov. 12. Materials can be hand delivered to the City Clerk’s office at City Hall (215 Church Ave), sent via the U.S. Postal Service or emailed to the City Clerk’s office.
Postal Address: Oshkosh City Clerk, P.O. Box 1130, Oshkosh WI 54903-1130
Email address:city_clerk@oshkoshwi.gov
Common Council members will review the submitted application materials. Applicants will also make a five-minute presentation at the Nov. 25 Oshkosh Common Council meeting. After that, the group will vote and make an appointment at the meeting that night.
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