Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Racine public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
3 issues in taxes budget with critical priority
2027 Proposed City Budget
City departments laid out their 2027 goals, funding needs, operational changes and capital projects for the council. These presentations set the stage for next year's budget decisions that will shape city services and taxes.
Proposed 2027 City of Racine Budget
Mayor Mason submitted the city's full 2027 budget — general fund, debt, capital projects, enterprise funds and fee schedules. It now goes to Committee of the Whole, where the spending and tax decisions will be debated before final adoption.
Tax incremental district package (TIDs 11, 13, 22, 23, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 10, 16)
The council created two new TIDs — one for Lincoln King housing infrastructure and one at the vacant former YMCA lakefront site — and closed three older neighborhood TIDs to make room under the state's 12% cap. Critics say the lakefront district commits up to $30.8 million with no developer and keeps schools, Gateway and the county from new tax revenue for 27 years; supporters say TIDs are the city's only real tool to attract development.