Racine's City Council adopted the city's 2027 budget on Oct. 20, but only after several hours of argument over three issues: sump pump requirements, fees at the renovated King Community Center, and a proposal to shift money toward the Racine Zoo.
On sump pumps, the mayor's plan would have required homes of one to four units to install working sump pumps and disconnect old foundation drains from the sanitary sewer, with inspections triggered when a home is sold and a 30-day deadline to comply. Critics on the council raised the cost to sellers, seniors and people on fixed incomes, noting the city's grant help is capped at $5,000. The council instead backed a committee, to include realtors, city departments, plumbing contractors and, after a 13-0 vote, a citizen representative, to spend six months looking for a less burdensome way to cut clear-water inflow. That vote effectively paused the mandatory inspection rollout.
The King Center debate centred on about $15.5 million in borrowing for the facility and whether young people from outside Racine should use it for free. A proposal to waive non-resident fees for youth aged 6 to 17 was replaced, on a 7-6 vote, by a plan to formally ask Mount Pleasant, Sturtevant and Caledonia to contribute toward free access for their own residents. A second proposal to eliminate all King Center fees, regardless of age or residency, then failed 4-9.
A separate proposal to move $40,000 from the Department of Community Safety's neighbourhood watch budget to help cover operating costs at the Racine Zoo also failed, 2-11. The department's director told the council the cut would leave it unable to offer neighbourhood watch services.
With the amendments settled, the council approved the overall budget as amended, then passed related fee schedules, including 2027 sewer rates and the Waterworks operating budget and capital plan, by voice votes.
