Rick Petfalski (Mayor of Muskego, Wisconsin, candidate 2026)
Rick Petfalski is running for election to the Mayor of Muskego in Wisconsin. Petfalski is on the ballot in the general election on April 7, 2026.
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Biography
Rick Petfalski has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Rick Petfalski, click here to fill out the survey.
Elections
General election
The general election will occur on April 7, 2026.
General election for Mayor of Muskego
Kathy Chiaverotti (Nonpartisan) and Rick Petfalski (Nonpartisan) are running in the general election for Mayor of Muskego on April 7, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Kathy Chiaverotti (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Rick Petfalski (Nonpartisan) | ||
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Endorsements
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Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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Campaign website
Petfalski's campaign website stated the following:
Issues
Development
Muskego is a beautiful city with a great combination of lakes, parks, farm fields, subdivisions and rural estates. Unfortunately Muskego also has the lowest percentage of commercial tax base in Waukesha County. This means that a majority of the tax burden is paid for by hard working families. Mayor Rick is working to see that change. The key to quality developments is to make sure it happens in the correct areas that compliment our community, not transform our community to something it is not. Future developments should maintain Muskego's rural atmosphere and quality of life for all residents, while respecting the property rights of the land owners.
Responsible Budgeting
Mayor Rick has a proven track record of keeping taxes in check. During the last 6 years, the Mayor has presented and passed city budgets that were less than the rate of inflation, resulting in a city tax rate that is one of the lowest of any city in the area.
- Increased the number of police officers on the street
- Added a dedicated police water patrol officer, increasing the safety of our area lakes
- Increased the city's fund balance by over $2 million
- Retired over $15 million in city debt.
- Every budget during Mayor Rick's time in office has come in under budget, adding to the city's fund balance
- Reduced employee healthcare costs
- Found alternative funding sources to help pay for many capital purchases, lowering the reliance on property taxes
- Lowered the assessed tax rate from $4.47 to $3.06 (equalized $4.07 to $2.67)
- Raised bond rating from Aa2 to Aa1 (2nd highest rating posible)
Community
The City of Muskego government is not the Muskego community. Community is much more than that. Our community is blessed to have many dedicated service organizations which serve to make our community a better place to live. The Lions Club, Women's Club, VFW, American Legion, MAA, Muskego Area Chamber of Commerce, Moose Lodge, Historical Society and Lake Association to name a few. We need to work with these organizations and not put bureaucratic roadblocks in their way to helping our community. Mayor Rick has fostered a strong relationship with these valuable community partners.
Public Safety
As a former member of the Police & Fire Commission, Mayor Rick is deeply committed to keeping Muskego a safe place to live, work, and raise a family. That means ensuring our Police and Fire Departments have the tools, training, and resources they need to protect our community.
As Muskego continues to grow, it’s also critical that we monitor the demands placed on our Fire & EMS services and maintain strong emergency response times. That’s why we are currently conducting a comprehensive Fire & EMS study to evaluate how our services compare to similar communities and to identify what additional resources may be needed. This proactive approach ensures Muskego residents remain safe—not just today, but well into the future.
— Rick Petfalski's campaign website (March 23, 2026)
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ "Email with Wisconsin State Election Commission," March 16, 2026
