Milwaukee Mayors Back TMJ4's Gubernatorial Town Hall

Local leaders aim to press candidates on property taxes and state funding for municipalities.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Milwaukee-area mayors are teaming up with TMJ4 to host a town hall-style debate on October 8th at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The goal is to give local leaders a chance to question Wisconsin's gubernatorial candidates on issues like property taxes, state shared revenue, and other financial pressures facing cities and villages.

Why it matters

This town hall represents a rare opportunity for municipal leaders to directly engage with gubernatorial candidates on the specific challenges facing local governments, such as rising costs and state-imposed levy limits that have strained city and village budgets.

The details

The event is being organized by TMJ4 in partnership with the Intergovernmental Cooperation Council of Milwaukee County, which represents the mayors and village presidents of the county's 19 municipalities. Organizers say the format will break from traditional debates to allow for more in-depth questioning of the candidates. NBC26 in Green Bay also plans to carry the program statewide.

  • The town hall is tentatively scheduled for October 8, 2026 at 6 p.m.
  • The event will take place at the Zelazo Center on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus.

The players

Intergovernmental Cooperation Council of Milwaukee County

The group that brings together the mayor or village president from each of Milwaukee County's 19 municipalities plus the county executive.

Bryan Kennedy

The mayor of Glendale, Wisconsin, who helped drive the proposal for the town hall.

Dan Besson

The village president of Hales Corners, Wisconsin, who says municipalities are under strain from state mandates and levy limits.

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What they’re saying

“It was really important that we create a forum where questions could be asked of the candidates for governor about their understanding of local government.”

— Bryan Kennedy, Mayor of Glendale (TMJ4)

“The state has not done that in 19 years.”

— Dan Besson, Village President of Hales Corners (TMJ4)

What’s next

Organizers say they will release details on which candidates are participating and how the public can attend the town hall as plans are finalized.

The takeaway

This town hall represents a concerted effort by Milwaukee-area municipal leaders to directly engage with gubernatorial candidates on the specific financial challenges facing local governments, underscoring the strain cities and villages have faced from state-imposed funding constraints.