The change on her cash register will be simple enough but the adjustment small business owner Marci Bruley fears is how Racine County’s new sales tax will affect her customers.
“Well, as a small business owner, it’s scary I mean we’re in tough times right now. We all know inflation,” Bruley said. “We’re all struggling.”
The Racine County board approved the increase last Thursday to tack .5% to the state’s 5% sales tax, leaving only two Wisconsin counties, Waukesha and Winnebago, without one.
“It was kind of just a waiting game for me,” Bruley said. “I think we held out until inflation did not let us.”
However, one thing residents did not expect was a last-minute amendment to the county ordinance. Instead of the initial proposal to set aside $10 million of the expected tax revenue for property tax relief, board members settled on $2 million.
Watch: Business owner, residents consider Racine Co. sales tax, property tax relief
"I feel at this point they've done a bait and switch,” Waterford resident Paul Beyerl said. “(The board) guaranteed to the public that it was going to go for tax relief trying to sell it and now they've pulled almost all of it out of there."
Bruley told TMJ4’s Tahleel Mohieldin that despite the concerns for her business she understands the county’s need to fund public services and help support community non-profits.
“As a person who lives in this community and has multiple businesses,” Bruley said, ”we really cannot afford to lose any more law enforcement."
She hopes others will come around by the time the tax is fully in effect in April 2025.
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