Washington Co., WI – November 5, 2023 – The sales tax should be shared just as it was passed by 76.8% of those voting. Our county board has not listened to the people. When asked about sharing the sales tax, all the supervisors say, “municipalities can use the savings created by sharing services with the county.”
It was nice that they could create a common language to respond to their constituents. I feel that the county board, or at least most of them, just rubber stamp whatever the county executive wants done.
I communicated with my supervisor on this topic, and, when I asked questions, the executive and his assistant were cced on her response.
I had also learned that approximately $18 million were siphoned from sales tax and into the executive’s “privatization fund.”
When I pressed them by email on the $18 million and who would be controlling shared services, I got radio silence in return.
This was the first time my supervisor has ignored me, and we have communicated several times in the past 4 years.
Read into that what you would like.
At a listening session the executive confirmed to me that some sales tax has been used for years to lower the levy. The amount taken from sales tax and applied to the levy has increased from $4,953,200 in 2019 to $7,576,918 in 2023, and is proposed to be $8,617,548 and $8,840,707 for 2024 and 2025 respectively.
Remember, the executive’s favorite line each budget cycle is “look at how the levy keeps going down.”
Yes, most people would like to see their taxes go down, myself included.
However, local roads are crumbling, and It is time to share the sales tax and use it for roads and capital projects as “We the People” have voted.
Andy Kougl
Jackson, WI 53037
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