Sun Prairie Hosts Town Hall on Upcoming Referendum

The city is seeking voter approval for a $3.95 million property tax increase to fund public safety services.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:36am

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A warm, nostalgic painting of a city hall building in soft, golden light, conveying the civic importance of an upcoming local referendum.The town hall meeting in Sun Prairie aimed to build community awareness and support for an upcoming referendum that would fund critical public safety services.Madison Today

The City of Sun Prairie held a public town hall on Monday night to discuss an upcoming referendum that will ask residents to approve a $3.95 million increase to the city's property tax levy. The additional funding would allow Sun Prairie to hire three new public safety personnel, including two firefighters and one patrol officer, as well as provide wages for three part-time volunteer firefighters.

Why it matters

Sun Prairie is looking to maintain current city services and address growing public safety needs. The referendum represents an important decision for residents that will impact the community's future funding for critical services.

The details

The town hall included a presentation by city officials on the referendum details and its potential impacts, followed by a question-and-answer session with Sun Prairie elected officials. The city is hoping to inform voters before the April 7 election, where the referendum will appear on the ballot.

  • The town hall was held on Monday, March 31, 2026.
  • The referendum vote will take place on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The players

Rex Owens

District 1 Alder for the City of Sun Prairie.

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What they’re saying

“We've done a good job of taking care of our money, being good stewards in state government. We really need to do two things: first to maintain current services and second to address the real definite need we have in our public safety area.”

— Rex Owens, District 1 Alder

What’s next

Voters in Sun Prairie will decide the fate of the $3.95 million property tax referendum on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

The takeaway

The upcoming referendum in Sun Prairie represents a critical decision for residents to maintain current city services and address growing public safety needs through additional funding. The town hall was an important step to inform the community before the election.