MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A day after the Dane County Board approved its 2026 operating budget, Sheriff Kalvin Barrett and Supervisor Jeff Weigand voiced concerns that the spending plan leaves the sheriff’s office underfunded and puts public safety at risk.

The $825.6 million budget, which passed Wednesday night after a few hours of debate, freezes 20 vacant positions in the Dane County Sheriff’s Office rather than cutting them permanently. County officials said the move protects every current deputy job while helping close a $31 million deficit.

Supervisor Weigand (Dist. 20) was among the five “no” votes, arguing that the county should have found savings elsewhere instead of targeting law enforcement.

“When I first joined the board, we had really an abundance of resources, and we really a

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