The 2024-'26 Wausau City Council takes the oath of office. MWC photo by Mike Leischner
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — As expected, the Wausau City Council has overturned Mayor Doug Diny’s veto of the 2026 budget. However, Council President Lisa Rasmussen said that doesn’t mean there aren’t issues to address. “We know that we have budget concerns coming for 2027, and I think work needs to begin on that right away in the Spring,” said Rasmussen. “I think that we will be able to find those solutions.”
She said the feedback she received from residents was not complimentary of Diny’s action, and brought confusion. “I did not receive any positive feedback on the action that was taken. It was more confusion, and people were not happy with that. The guidance I got from my district was ‘If 2026 is funded, get it done. Then get the wheels set in motion on that and get to work on 2027.’ I don’t think we should be comingling the two.”
The vote was 9-2, with Vicki Tierney and Terry Kilian voting no. The budget originally passed on a 10-1 vote, meaning alders could afford to lose two yes votes and still complete the override.
RELATED: Wausau Mayor to Veto 2026 Budget
At the center of Diny’s veto was a proposed $1.5 million public safety referendum for the April 2026 ballot. The move would fund firefighter and paramedic positions currently supported by grant dollars, which expire at the end of next year.
Diny has opposed the referendum, saying it would be like “punting on first down.” In his veto message, he said he would like the council to consider other cuts before asking residents to voluntarily raise taxes. He reiterated that during his message to the Council before they debated the override. “We really only need to get back to 344 [city] employees, which represents about 3.4% or roughly 12 FTEs (full-time equivalents). It does not have to be just 12 firefighters.
“We have an annual turnover of about 20 to 25 employees. We should be able to do this through attrition, retirements, or not filling open spots. Three point four percent is not a draconian cut,” added Diny.
The vote finalizes the 2026 tax bill for Wausau residents; those postcards are expected to be in the mail by mid-December.
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