Waukesha County Courthouse
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Business groups voiced opposition to the Waukesha County sales tax proposal.County Executive Paul Farrow said he introduced an ordinance authorizing a 0.5% sales tax.Farrow called the move a “compromise” to fiscal needs, and the group called on the county to “slow down.”
Waukesha, Wisconsin – Waukesha County business groups voiced opposition to the proposed county sales tax Wednesday, days after the ordinance was introduced.
On Monday, County Executive Paul Farrow told the X-Post that he introduced an ordinance authorizing a 0.5% sales tax last week. This tax is in addition to the existing 5% state sales tax and will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
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“This plan is a compromise that addresses nearly a decade of critical fiscal needs,” Farrow’s post said.
FOX6 News first reported on the possibility of a Waukesha County sales tax being introduced in August to address potential budget cuts. The county is one of only four counties in Wisconsin that currently does not impose a sales tax.
The Waukesha County Business Alliance, a countywide chamber of commerce with more than 1,200 members, on Wednesday urged the county to “slowly evaluate” the sales tax proposal.
“Costs are already rising, and now is not the time to impose an additional burden on Waukesha County families and job creators,” Amanda Payne, the group’s president and CEO, said in a news release. . “This proposal is too much, too fast. We urge the county to reevaluate its tax plan. We oppose overtaxing Waukesha County residents.”
Payne’s statement went on to say that the proposal would impose excessive taxes on Waukesha County residents by $50 million to $60 million. The group said it is asking the county to work with state legislators, business leaders and community members to find ways to address budget challenges without hurting the business environment.
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Farrow previously said the next 2025 budget will have the same amount of cuts as the past few budget cycles, adding that revenue from property taxes is no longer enough.
“We’ve been in a position to cut the department for at least the last five, six, seven years. We’re asking the department to cut services by between $2 million and $2.5 million a year,” he told FOX6. . August. “We’re at a certain point now. We’re probably close to where we can be.”
Waukesha, Racine and Winnebago counties have no county sales tax. Like Waukesha, Racine County is also considering implementing a sales tax. Manitowoc County adds one case in January.
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Paul Farrow, Waukesha County Business Alliance, Waukesha County Executive
