Budget
St. Croix County is dedicated to responsible financial management, overseeing a budget of over $140 million and a team of more than 670 dedicated employees. The County’s budget focuses on the priorities established by the County Board, ensuring that your tax dollars are allocated where they matter most.
Each year the County Administrator and Finance Director work with County leadership to create a balanced budget to bring forward to the County Board for consideration. The process begins in March and finishes in November with the adoption of the County Board of Supervisors Budget Resolution.
2026 Budget Highlights
The 2026 budget for St. Croix County builds on our commitment to responsible fiscal management.
The County’s mill rate will drop again, from $2.69 in 2025 to $2.59 per $1,000 of equalized value. This is the third consecutive year at a record low and remains among the lowest in Wisconsin.
This is driven by:
- Steady New Construction: Net new construction rose 1.96% in 2025
- Appreciating Property Values: Equalized value grew 5.53%, reaching $18 billion.
- Sound Financial Management: Conservative spending and long-term planning help manage the growth of the county with responsible spending levels.
The 2026 budget continues to invest in critical services and public infrastructure, building on recent capital improvement projects that have positioned us to meet the County’s needs for decades to come.
- Capital investments continue through the County’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), focusing debt use on major projects.
- Highway projects benefit from increased state transportation grants and charges to other local governments.
- The Health and Human Services Behavioral Health Division restructured service delivery to reduce levy-supported positions while maintaining essential services.
Careful long-term planning and strong financial policies keep our County well-positioned to manage growth and future expenses.
- The County’s Aa1 bond rating and strong fund balance reflect our sound financial management.
- Strategic use of fund balance, increased nursing home contributions, and a blended debt repayment schedule help control future tax impacts.
- Sales tax revenue continues to grow, adding capacity to deliver local services.
A skilled, supported workforce is essential to delivering high-quality services to residents. The 2026 recommended budget is designed with this in mind, to support and retain County employees.
- The budget includes a step increase for eligible employees for the 10th consecutive year.
- A 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and updated wage grid help the County remain competitive.
- Health insurance premium growth was held to 2.8% through plan design changes and an increase in employee premium contributions.
- The opening of an on-site employee clinic enhances employee medical options and helps stabilize future medical costs.
Learn More
Read the full 2026 budget to explore this information in more detail.
2026 Budget Process
| Action | Complete By |
|---|---|
| Committee of the Whole reviews budget priorities with Department Heads. | April 3 |
| Capital Project requests to Finance Director, CIP Team starts review. County Board adopts budget priorities. | May |
| CIP Team recommends capital projects to County Administrator, reviews CIP at Standing Committees. | June |
| Departments start working on operating budget request. Committee of the Whole on CIP. | July |
| County Administrator, Finance Director, Department Heads meet to review operating budget requests. | August |
| Standing Committees review of operating budget requests. | September |
| Committee of the Whole review of the County Administrator recommended budget. | October |
| Public Hearing on budget and approval of tax levy. | November |