The prospect of raising taxes is a conversation few like to have but at Monday night’s public hearing with the Racine County Board, that’s what most attendees came to talk about.
The county is considering a proposal that would usher in the area’s first sales tax at the county level, of .5%. While some community members took to the podium to voice their support others asked board members to look elsewhere.
“I just don’t think it’s the right time,” Mount Pleasant resident John Gorton said. “I think people are struggling.”
If passed, the sales tax would bring in a minimum of $20 million a year to the county that would help fund public services county leaders said they were struggling to pay for.
“We all know about inflation and how it’s impacted them and how it’s impacted their yearly budgets but I think we as residents face that every day,” Gorton added “All of us are having to make hard choices.”
Watch: Racine community members want county board to consider alternatives to sales tax
The current proposal also allocates about half of the sales tax revenue to property tax relief. However, that number could decrease over the years with board approval while the sales tax remains the same.
It’s one of the reasons many at Monday night’s meeting want board members to consider a less permanent solution. Village of Yorkville resident William Jaeck suggested the county consider a bond.
“If you need the cash I understand it,” Jaeck said. “I just think there’s pretty ways to do it than to tax the people.”
Many however see the sales tax as necessary and even long overdue. Of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, Racine is one of only three without a sales tax.
Caledonia Village Trustee Dale Stillman was very supportive of the proposal, calling it the greatest idea in a long time.
“I think it’s crazy that we don’t have it,” Stillman said. “You are going to all these other different counties and spending your money and don’t even realize you're spending money in their counties and spending more than what you’d pay in Racine Co.”
Captain Cary Madrigal with the Racine County Sheriff’s Office said the tax was necessary to move the county forward. She believes all other options have already been exhausted.
“We cannot cut additional positions. We are cut to the bone,” Madrigal said. “Sometimes it is hard to do what is right but that is what you were elected to do. Racine County will not be what it is today if this is not put through.”
According to county documents, the 2025 budget deficit in the sheriff’s office alone is $5 million, and without the sales that means 30-40 deputies may need to be defunded.
Upcoming public hearings on the sales tax will be held at the Ives Grove Office Complex Auditorium (located at 14200 Washington Avenue Sturtevant, WI 53177) at the following times:
- Aug. 21st, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. (Finance and Human Services)
- Sept. 4th, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. (Finance and Human Services)
- Sept.10th, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. (Racine County Board)
- Sept. 24th, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. (Racine County Board)
- Oct. 24th, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. (Racine County Board)
Additional listening sessions will be held in several other municipalities within Racine County. Those details have yet to be released.
The Racine County Board is set to approve the 2025 Budget on November 4th, 2024.
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