Winnebago County postpones action on possible sales tax

OSHKOSH, Wis (WISS) – The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors decided to postpone any action on a possible county-wide sales tax last night. 

As the meeting got underway, County Executive Gordon Hintz made a presentation on the potential impact of a sales tax in the county and the pros and cons of implementing one. 

Board Vice Chairman Chuck Farrey brought forward a resolution to draft an ordinance establishing a sales tax with a 30 percent per capita revenue share for municipalities in the county. 

After hours of discussion and both negative and positive input from citizens, the board decided to postpone a vote on a sales tax until the September 16th meeting. 

Before the meeting, Hintz told WISS that if the county implements a half-cent sales tax, estimates are that it would cost the average spender $100 per year or $8.33 a month. At the same time, it would result in approximately $240 in property tax relief for the median homeowner.

“You can be against the sales tax because you don’t like new taxes, or you think it’s regressive, or you think giving the county new revenue might grow the size of government. All things that are are true,” Hintz said. “But you also would have to acknowledge that you’re willing to have property taxpayers subsidize services for non-residents who come here. Something that other counties don’t do.”

The delay on any action will allow for more intentional thought on a sales tax. 

“If the board decides to move forward with something about enacting or adopting a sales tax, it should be done with intent, with goals in mind – considerations for what the policy should be behind it,” Hintz said.  “I don’t think you should just adopt a tax for the sake of a tax or for the sake of having more revenue.”

Winnebago and Waukesha Counties are the only ones in Wisconsin that do not have a half-cent county-option sales tax.