Three Lakes electors shoot down $500k increase to town levy

At their annual budget meeting last Tuesday, electors in the Town of Three Lakes voted against a proposed $500,000 increase in the town’s tax levy for the 2026 budget.

There were 95 electors registered to vote, including town officials.
The proposed budget, with that increase, exceeded the state’s allowable levy limit which cannot be approved without direct approval from its electors (citizens) at a town meeting.

There was a lengthy discussion among the people in attendance and the town board about the need for the increase and what could be done by the town and its residents to increase income in the future.

The proposal was rejected by a vote of 54-33. Six voters abstained and two left the meeting before the vote.

Due to the vote, the town was forced to scrap all its capital project requests for 2026 — originally budgeted at $807,063 — including $270,000 for Fire and $100,000 for Parks.

This issue came to the forefront a year ago when town Chair Roger Brisk brought it up at the end of a board meeting. “I’m looking to explore any possible levy increase because, though we’ve been able to hold the line on the budget the last two years, I don’t see that happening in the future.”

After the vote, Brisk said, “I’m not mad, I’m disappointed. I think we’ve been good stewards of the public’s money. But costs keep going up everywhere and this is going to make next year a little interesting.”

The assessed value for tax purposes for the Town of Three Lakes is $1,030,844,200. An estimated mill rate of $3.11 per $1,000 of assessed valuation will bring approximately $3,202,094 for the operation of the town for the 2026 budget year. The assessed value for 2025 was $1,015,103,700 with a mill rate of $3.12.

Total anticipated expenditures are $4,759,896.98, and total anticipated revenues are $1,557,802.98.

The full 2026 budget breakdown can be viewed online at townofthreelakeswi.gov/town-budget/ or by stopping into the municipal office at 6965 W. School St.