On October 21, 2025, several representatives of Appleton Concerned Taxpayers (ACT) met with Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford.
We discussed several items of concern with respect to the city budget:
- We asked about the increase in the operating budget for Waste Water, along with the high number of capital projects dealing with Waste Water, Storm Water, and Sanitary Water. In the 2026 Adopted Budget, $3.6 million has been set aside for Stormwater and Water Utilities Capital Projects. An additional $10 million is planned for 2027–2030. Mayor Woodford explained that age of equipment, upgrades to equipment, and the need to address potential area flooding are driving the spending. He noted Waste Water Utility fees will increase 9% in the 2026 budget.
- We asked about increases in General Operating (G.O.) Debt and Debt Service expenses. Mayor Woodford said additional short-term borrowing was used in 2025 to help the General Fund meet some operational budget items, adding approximately $300,000 to G.O. Debt Service. Borrowing and debt service increases are something ACT intends to speak against going forward.
- We discussed budget problems being caused by state mandates and failures. Mayor Woodford said the League of Wisconsin Municipalities will convene to discuss state-caused problems and potential solutions. The Mayor raised the possibility of a city-specific tax.
- Finally, we questioned the plan for a $1 million renovation of City Hall. We suggested utilizing the design classes available at Fox Valley Tech and Lawrence University, thereby engaging students and possibly soliciting materials for the renovation. Mayor Woodford responded “not for this project, but something we will consider in the future.
We also discussed several non-budget-related items with the Mayor, including:
- Stop the Noise: Who are the people involved, and what influence do they have over city policy? The city is setting unreasonable decibel limits for vehicles on College Avenue: 60 (day) and 50 (night), when the average passenger car operates at 70 dB. Is Appleton trying to create a retirement village on College Avenue? A pedestrian-only zone? What are the decibels reached by downtown events, such as Mile of Music, Oktoberfest, and parades? We noted many changes have already been made to address College Avenue traffic, including:
- Road Diet: $165,000
- Additional traffic officers and stops
- Cruise on the Ave is now Park on the Ave
- Bike Lanes
The Mayor said Appleton Downtown Inc. is largely behind the Stop the Noise effort, representing restaurants that want to have outdoor seating and hotels who say their street-side rooms can’t be used because of noise. He said residents are opposed to having trucks on College Avenue early in the morning (for example, for farmers’ markets), and some residents have even called 911 because they want noisy drivers caught immediately. He agreed with us that the Stop the Noise effort is asking for too much and will hurt the vibrancy of College Avenue if it goes too far.
- Sustainability Consulting study: How many bidders are there for this project? Mayor Woodford didn’t know.
- Allowing Donations to the City: Mayor Woodford and his communications director, Anindita (Andy) Anaam, are working on this and expect to have a “donate” option on the city’s website soon.
- Appleton Studies: Kara Homan, director of the Community Development Department, is coordinating the compilation of all of the Appleton studies.
- Taxes: Wisconsin continues to rank between 5th and 8th nationally in terms of property tax rates. Appleton is moving property tax costs to fees.
ACT representatives meet regularly with Major Woodford. Let us know if you’re interested in joining us or have questions you’d like to have answered.
