City of Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway announced her 2026 Executive Capital Budget and Capital Improvement Plan Tuesday at Reindahl Park, prioritizing investments in infrastructure and affordable housing.
The plan addresses how Madison will meet long-term community needs while also improving operational efficiency with investments toward infrastructure.
The 2026 Executive Budget is $73.5 million less than what city agencies requested, a decision aimed at reducing general borrowing obligations that often impact what the city can accomplish in capital projects.
“A central goal of this year's multi-year Capital Improvement Plan is to identify investments that will yield savings in future operating budgets,” Rhodes-Conway said.
Rhodes-Conway highlighted the importance of libraries as critical infrastructure in her speech, which was delivered at the construction site of the Imagination Center, a partnership project between libraries and parks to build an indoor-outdoor library and community area on Madison’s East Side.
“Libraries are an investment that pays dividends in countless ways, and perhaps most importantly, by inspiring imagination and giving people the tools that they need to achieve their dreams,” Rhodes-Conway said in her speech on Tuesday.
Even after receiving the highest bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service, which allows the city to borrow at the lowest interest rates possible, Rhodes-Conway said growing cities like Madison still face challenges tied to Wisconsin’s dependency on property taxes to fund local operations.
The budget will fund the maintenance and growth of Madison’s streets, bike paths and walkways. It includes investments of $29.2 million for street reconstruction projects, $25 million for park systems and $8.9 million for projects to help mitigate flooding in the city.
Additionally, it will invest $5.3 million to replace and repair sidewalks, $2.9 million to enhance street accessibility and more.
The budget also funds a new West Side streets facility that aims to cut hundreds of travel hours annually, save approximately half a million dollars in fuel costs and reduce emissions.
Additionally, the budget keeps the Park and Badger redevelopment on track, which will replace Fire Station 6 in the South Side of Madison with a modern facility, add a new public health clinic, expand funding for affordable housing and provide Madison College with space to build a childcare training facility to help increase the number of providers in the area.
“This innovative project will serve multiple community needs while enhancing our public health and safety network to meet anticipated population growth in South and West Madison,” Rhodes-Conway said.
Rhodes-Conway discussed plans to upgrade to the Madison Community Development Authority’s Triangle public housing development, replacing 340 apartments with around 1,200 new units in eight buildings upon completion.
The Executive Budget contains $17.5 million for the city’s affordable housing fund to support additional developments across Madison. Rhodes-Conway said the city is on track to build 5,000 new homes in 2025.
“We have to keep this pace up to ensure that every Madison family has the opportunity to choose what type of home works best for them and what neighborhood they want to live in,” Rhodes-Conway said.
Rhodes-Conway added that her Executive Operating Budget, focused on staffing, services and programs, will be introduced in October, and she will work with alders to finalize both budgets.
Zoey Elwood is copy chief for The Daily Cardinal. She also covers state news.
