UPDATE: The joint session of the county's executive and finance committee has reccomended the approval of an amended version of the county sales tax proposal. On a vote of 7-1, the two committees agreed on a version that would require a full board review after 7 years in order to continue into the future.
The measure moves to a full county board vote next week.
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SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (WHBL) - Members of the Sheboygan County board are discussing the proposed half percent sales tax today at a committee meeting.
The measure was been referred to a joint committee meeting between the finance and executive committees last month at county board. County staff say letting the county use it's state approved sales tax will help raise $9 million in order to pay for crumbling county roads. County administrator Adam Payne says constraints from the state make it very difficult to raise the funding they need the normal way. "Even if the county board wanted to raise property taxes to address our transportation needs, not only does it have the state imposed tax cap standing in its way, but if you talk to taxpayers, most of them really don't care for property taxes."
Payne also says that the county can't simply cut spending other places to raise the funds needed. He says even if you cut every department other than the sheriff, health and human services and the highway department, it wouldn't be enough. "That would still raise less than half the funding needed in order to maintain our transportation system going forward." Current estimates for road repairs put the cost of resurfacing or repairing one mile of county road at anywhere from $120,000 to $250,000, with more costs if the road has the be completely rebuilt or if there's a bridge involved.
Today's meeting gets underway at 3 pm at the administration building.
