County Executive's Office

My 2024 County Budget

On October 2, 2023, I introduced the 2024 Dane County Budget. It prioritizes investments in Dane County's emergency food supply, mental health, solar, services for our most vulnerable, and much more. Check out my summary to learn more:

Social Safety Net

Almost $11 million in new support for local food pantries and the emergency food supply network.
Over $240 million for the county & safety net of social service work and programming.
$300,000 to bolster Birth to Three services and intervention for kids.
$237,000 in new funding for case managers for the Area Agency on Aging, focusing more county resources on seniors.

Behavioral & Mental Health

A $200,000 grant to help expand the CARES mobile crisis program outside the City of Madison. Communities will be eligible to apply for the funds to facilitate the growth of this innovative behavioral health model that wherever possible connects mental health professionals with those in crisis.
A new pilot team of crisis counselors directly embedded in Dane County’s 911 Center to help work with those experiencing a behavioral health emergency. This new team will cost over $400,000 and provide frontline behavioral health support to those in crisis, reducing the need for in person responses by mobile crisis teams like CARES and/or law enforcement.
Additional anticipated funds from the national opiate settlement to confront the ongoing scourge of opiate and fentanyl addiction in our community.

Public Safety

$75,000 for partners like Dane County Emergency Management, Safe Communities, and Age Better to do in-home fall prevention screenings and create a new “leave behind program” in which EMS providers can offer aging resources to those with chronic falls.
Over $440,000 to hire four new communicators (dispatchers) for the Dane County 911 Center
$36.4 million in the capital budget for construction of a new Dane County Public Safety Communications (911) Center. This over 34,000 square foot facility will be built at the county’s East District Campus and be the new hub of day-to-day operations for the county’s 911 call taking and dispatching services.
$1.7 million for new squad cars and equipment for the Dane County Sheriff’s Office
$15.3 million for a series of highway and bridge improvement projects, including the reconstruction of Highway MM between Oregon and Fitchburg, Highway Y from Highway KP to the Dane County line in the towns of Berry and Roxbury, and Highway G south of Mount Vernon.

Language & Opportunity Access

a new Dane County language access coordinator to oversee the work of county departments to improve access to services for non-English speaking residents
An additional $25,000 for scholarships to help more young people in poverty obtain driver's education and a license

Land & Water

$11 million in the budget will construct over two miles of boardwalk and trail south of the Great Sauk Trail bridge toward Mazomanie.
Another $6 million will be paired with money from the City of Madison to add onto the missing link of the Glacial Drumlin Trail.
$10 million for the Dane County Conservation Fund and $1 million for the county’s very popular Continuous Cover program that helps farmers establish acres of grasses and prairies while reducing carbon emissions and the risk of flooding.
Another $1 million to continue Dane County’s Flood Risk Reduction project, the multi-phase initiative to remove decades old sludge built-up on the bottom of the Yahara River
$11.5 million in previously authorized dollars to continue work on the well-known "Suck the Muck" phosphorus removal project that helps better control algae blooms on area waterways.
$1.75 million to advance the restoration of Black Earth Creek in western Dane County
$1.5 million to continue the county’s work on making our lakes and waterways more accessible to everyone, regardless of physical ability. This work will focus on creating four new accessible shore fishing areas, a wheelchair lift, and other accessibility improvements at Babcock County Park near Lake Waubesa.

Infrastructure Improvements & Community Investments

Another $1.5 million in county funds as part of a partnership with the City of Madison to construct a new homeless shelter. The funds bring the County's total brick and mortar investment in the facility to $10.5 million.
$21 million for construction of a new "Heart of the Zoo" at the Henry Vilas Zoo. This first phase will construct a brand new, state of the art exhibit for giraffes.
$2 million toward construction of a new Ho Chunk History Center.
$486,000 for new rooftop solar panels for the Henry Vilas Zoo and the Badger Prairie Needs Network in Verona.
$250,000 for the "Art House" redevelopment in Verona

By the Numbers

The 2024 operating budget totals $787.6 million and the capital spending plan comes in at $149.8 million.