PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
(WTAQ-WLUK) — The surge in gas prices is not only impacting consumers, it’s also affecting local government.
So what does this mean for essential services like maintenance and emergency vehicles in Northeast Wisconsin?
“We can’t not patrol, we can’t not fix our roads in the summertime or plow roads in the winter. And so, we’re gonna find a way to manage,” Winnebago County Executive Gordon Hintz said.
Hintz said the higher fuel costs have put pressure on the county’s current budget.
While Hintz doesn’t have the county’s total fuel expenses for 2026, he said it’s concerning it’s only May and the county’s fuel budget is beginning to dry up.
“Say if it’s $2 more or $1.70 more than what was budgeted, you can do the math that that’s more than $150,000 or somewhere in there than you probably expected, and you got to figure out where that money is gonna come from,” Hintz said.
Now Winnebago County is trying to cut back on fuel.
Hintz said non-essential use will be cut and the Sheriff’s Office now bars deputies from taking home squad cars.
Hintz said diverting revenue or budget transfers are possible to cover their bases.
He stressed essential services won’t be reduced.
However, Outagamie County is having a different experience.
“This is something that we’re used to, it is something that we budget for, if for some reason it is very exceptional, we of course have a contingency fund,” Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson said.
Nelson said he doesn’t foresee a negative impact to this year’s budget from fuel prices.
He also said maintenance and construction projects will go on as planned.
But, not everything is positive for the county.
“My biggest concern would be for the 2027 budget. We buy our fuel in bulk and so it’s negotiated at that time. So a big concern is how this year’s high gas prices will affect the rate the cost for next year,” Nelson said.
Nelson said Outagamie County is also trying to find other ways to increase revenue to make up for more expensive fuel.
The average price for a gallon of regular gas in Brown County according to AAA is $4.44.
In Outagamie County, unleaded is at $4.35 while Winnebago County is at $4.40.
In Wisconsin, the average price for regular unleaded is $4.40. For diesel, Wisconsin’s average is $5.70 per gallon, three cents higher than the national average.
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