The 0.1% sales tax, which started in 1996, helped fund construction of the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium that replaced the beloved-but-aging County Stadium. The tax affected Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha and Racine counties.
The tax ended up collecting nearly $600 million over its nearly 24-year life so far. In 2018, Racine County’s portion of the tax accounted for $2.9 million.
The stadium cost $400 million to build almost 20 years ago; adjusted for inflation, the cost is closer to $570 million.
But, starting on Sept. 1, 2020, the tax will go away.
On Wednesday, Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill that scheduled the tax’s dissolution. It was the first bill authored by state Rep. Robert Wittke, R-Wind Point, to be passed since he was elected to the state Assembly last November.
This is a rare, RARE, example of a tax coming to an end. It’s years late and extracted way more money from taxpayers than it was originally supposed to, but it is finally being killed. Huzzah, huzzah. Now if only Washington County would end it’s “temporary” sales tax that was created to pay for some “extraordinary capital projects.” A fella can dream.
Two observations:
– I’m surprised Evers signed it instead of saying he wanted all that money to go to Milwaukee County and the city of Milwaukee.
– Had the Legislature not acted, the stadium board would have found something else to spend it on to keep the sweet, sweet tax money flowing in.