City of Sun Prairie Develops Financial Roadmap and Announces Strategic Approach

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 20, 2024
Jake King
Communications and Diversity Strategist
jking@cityofsunprairie.com
(608) 332-5397

City of Sun Prairie Develops Financial Roadmap and Announces Strategic Approach

On Friday, September 20, Mayor Esser hosted a meeting of Dane County mayors at Sun Prairie City Hall, followed by a press conference where they discussed the potential for going to referendum in their respective communities. Recent projections for the 2025-2029 period show Sun Prairie’s levy will exceed state-imposed limits starting in 2026. To address this, Mayor Esser shared the strategic planning efforts of the City Council over the last three months to identify sustainable funding sources while continuing to provide high-quality services to the community.

Vehicle Registration Fee

On Tuesday, September 17, the City Council adopted an ordinance implementing a municipal vehicle registration fee in the amount of $30. The fee will be collected by the Department of Transportation along with the state’s annual vehicle registration. Fees collected will be placed in a designated fund for transportation-related projects. Implementation of the fee will generate a consistent revenue stream for road maintenance, infrastructure improvements, and other transportation projects, reducing reliance on property tax revenue. It is set to take effect in February 1, 2025. Specific information on the vehicle registration fee can be found by visit www.cityofsunprairie.com/VRF.

Looking ahead to 2026, the City may seek voter approval of an operating referendum.

Planned 2026 Referendum

If approved by voters, a successful spring 2026 referendum would allow the City to exceed these limits and raise additional revenue to maintain and/or enhance services as the community continues to grow. The referendum will be informed by feedback received from the community following extensive public engagement.

Services Reductions and Efficiencies

As a part of the Financial Roadmap, the City will continue to identify budget efficiencies through various cost-saving measures and possible service reductions. Some of these initiatives have already been implemented, while

others will take effect with the 2025 Budget. These include redirecting unspent dollars to the City’s fund balance and net-neutral revenue sources to be proposed with new ongoing initiatives whenever possible.

“We are committed to a thriving Sun Prairie, supported by exceptional city services”, said Mayor Esser. “To achieve this, elected officials and city staff will continue to work collaboratively and explore strategic solutions that are in the community’s best interest.”

The City will continue evaluating its financial strategy through regular updates to its Five-Year Financial Management Plan, with potential revisions based on resident feedback and emerging needs.

A recording of today’s press conference will be available to stream and view on-demand on the Sun Prairie Media Center app, Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV devices as well as on sunprairiemediacenter.com. To review the Financial Roadmap document, please visit www.cityofsunprairie.com/FRM.

About City of Sun Prairie

Sun Prairie is a vibrant and thriving community located in northeastern Dane county, just east of the City of Madison. The City of Sun Prairie has experienced strong population growth since its incorporation from a village to a city in 1958, undergoing a transformation from a relatively small community of less than 4,000 to an estimated 39,419 today.