Could a 1% sales tax fix Milwaukee County’s budget woes?

MILWAUKEE — A doable resolution to Milwaukee County’s $1 billion downside: add 1 % to Milwaukee County’s gross sales tax.

County Government David Crowley reminds us out of the present 5.5 % gross sales tax, Milwaukee County is straight away allotted 0.5 %. The remaining goes to the complete state. Crowley hopes so as to add 1 % to the county gross sales tax as a result of they merely have an excessive amount of to pay for.

Earlier this month, Crowley advised us when you added up simply the upkeep that has been postpone for many years to our County-owned parks and buildings, it could complete $1 billion.

Crowley promised an enormous push in 2023 to have our state legislature take up the concept of accelerating Milwaukee County’s gross sales tax by 1 %, “That may generate $160 million throughout Milwaukee County.”

“We’re gonna attempt to use a 3rd of that to purchase down property taxes for everybody,” mentioned Crowley. His workplace additionally shared with us: “Taxpayers with a house valued at $150,000 would obtain a median 14 % discount (from $539 to $462).”

One other third would go in the direction of the county finances and the ultimate third to the Metropolis of Milwaukee.

Crowley hopes the state legislature provides them the inexperienced mild, and voters would have a last say in a referendum. If handed, Milwaukee County’s gross sales tax would go as much as 6.5 %.

Republican Meeting Speaker Robin Vos says not so quick.

“We’ve not been in a position to see them use the tax {dollars} which are already producing very correctly,” he mentioned. “We have seen constantly in Milwaukee the lower in police and public companies.”

Milwaukee Alderman Bob Bauman says there was a push to extend the county gross sales tax for years.

“It’s an anti-Milwaukee bias that exists among the many republican legislature,” he mentioned. “They only don’t desire Milwaukee to prosper.”

“We aren’t anti-Milwaukee, however we’re towards what Milwaukee has not been doing, and that is defending its residents and investing its {dollars} correctly,” mentioned Vos.

Speaker Vos advised us he would possibly have a look at the proposal once more, as long as native leaders share precisely what these tax {dollars} would pay for. Up to now, it was to assist fund dwindling pensions. Now, it’s deferred upkeep.

It’s an concept that also wants lots of ironing out that might have an effect on the issues we love and the way we pay for them for years to come back.

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