WAUKESHA – Just over thre months after its introduction, a proposal that would have added a 0.5% sales tax in Waukesha County is now off the table.
County Executive Paul Farrow confirmed that fact with the Board of Supervisors Tuesday, while reiterating that without a new revenue stream, service cuts are all but guaranteed.
“Over the next two years, I will collaborate with local legislators, legislative leaders, and the Waukesha County Business Alliance during the state’s legislative sessions to optimize revenue generating options for counties and minimize unfunded state mandates,” said Farrow, while adding his office is doing a difficult dance of appeasing resident’s demands for high quality services and roads while also handling complaints of those who feel they are already taxed too much.
The ordinance was first proposed on October 22nd; Waukesha County remains one of two counties in Wisconsin alongside Winnebago that does not have a county sales tax; Manitowoc County began a 0.5% sales and use tax at the start of the year, while Racine County will begin one of their own on April 1st.
The news of the proposal’s removal from consideration comes just under two months after the County Board unanimously passed a resolution asking the state to examine the amount of state funding the county receives to pay for mandated services. That resolution noted Waukesha County has sent approximately $1.5 billion in taxes to the state and in return receives around $60 million in state aid.
READ MORE: Waukesha County demands a review of state funding process
The 2025 Waukesha County budget includes a general county tax levy of $115,537,401, which is an increase of 0.59% or $675,235. Farrow noted in November when approving the budget that it would cut the County tax rate for the 11th consecutive year. The budget would drop the tax rate from $1.39 per thousand dollars of home value to $1.35, a 3% decrease.
The budget also estimated a total of $4,791,626 in state shared revenue, up $95,387 from 2024. Of that, $2.1 million would be allocated to support law enforcement. $2.8 million in new tax levy and $1.5 million in shared revenue is supporting Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department operations, providing relief for jail inmate capacity, and covering an increase of over $1 million in jail medical services to inmates.
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