MILWAUKEE – One of three Milwaukee County Supervisors to vote against the 0.4% sales tax, Ryan Clancy (4th District), joined Wisconsin’s Afternoon News mere hours after the vote was tallied to discuss why he stood against it, his hopes for where this money could be allocated and how it would’ve turned out if this went to referendum.
Entering the day, he admitted to not feeling a ton of confidence that the group would agree with his position. However, Clancy stood firm in his goal of wanting the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors to take its time establishing exact uses for the expected $80 million in tax money ($40 million to spend, after contributing to pension funds) before voting it through.
“It was not necessarily a foregone conclusion. There was a lot of pressure put on folks, even at the last minute,” Clancy told Wisconsin’s Afternoon News. “We had County Supervisors testifying that their Governor, County Exec were calling them personally.”
Clarity on where the money would go isn’t the only thing Clancy was concerned with. He feared how it may impact the low-income families the tax revenue is meant to benefit in the first place. His goal was to put that money toward bus services and parks, which wouldn’t feel the effects of budget cuts until 2028, by his estimate.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors Approves 0.4% Sales Tax
“The reason that I voted no is that sales tax are regressive, right? We know that the poorest households in Milwaukee County are going to be paying seven times more as a percentage of their income as the richest households, and that’s not equitable,” Clancy said.
Now that the vote was passed, Clancy fears that organizations will reach for Milwaukee County funds before establishing any clear plan to spend it.
“What I was advocating for was to step back for two or three months, have a plan first about how we would spend these dollars, before we start taking them out of people’s pockets,” Clancy said.
He remained confident that Milwaukee County’s 0.4% sales tax increase would have “failed spectacularly” if it went to referendum. Now, he feels it will set a precedent for years to come.
“This sales tax was touted to us as something temporary, so maybe we’ll have to for 15 to 30 years. It will outlive all of us,” Clancy said. “I have yet to find a state or a local government that has put in a sales tax and then taken it out or withdrawn it because once it’s part of a budget, counties and cities and states depend on that revenue.”
To watch the full conversation, click here and visit our YouTube Channel.
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