News
January 29, 2025 | By Benjamin Yount
Policy Issues
Economy

Waukesha County Sales Tax Proposal “Officially Dead”

Waukesha County remains as one of just two Wisconsin counties without a sales tax.

Waukesha County Rejects Sales Tax

Waukesha County is not going to add a new sales tax.

County Executive Paul Farrow told county leaders on Tuesday that he is pulling the plan to create a half-a-percent sales tax to pay for emergency services and municipal aid.

“Over the next two years, I will collaborate with local legislators, legislative leaders, and the Waukesha County Business Alliance during the state’s legislative session to optimize revenue generating options for counties and minimize unfunded state mandates,” County Executive Paul Farrow said in a statement.

Farrow pronounced the “officially dead” after Tuesday’s county board meeting.

Farrow originally proposed the sales tax back in October, promising to use a new sales tax to offset local property tax increases across the county.

At the time, Farrow said the county needed to close a $5 million budget gap.

The Waukesha County Business Alliance, however, said the new sales tax would have imposed a $50-$60 million burden on taxpayers.

The Business Alliance also had strong objections to Farrow’s plan to approve the sales tax increase in just one month.

Farrow said in addition to working with lawmakers in Madison, he wants to work with local businesses to “examine“ the county’s financial needs.

“In addition to working with local lawmakers, the County Executive outlined a multi-pronged strategy which focuses on connecting with the business community, examining significant service cuts and engaging with the public for more transparency into what their county government does, how it impacts their lives, and how critical services are prioritized and funded,” Farrow said in a statement.

Waukesha County remains as one of just two Wisconsin counties without a sales tax.

Farrow, though, warned that Waukesha County will need to address its financial needs.

“44% of all county property tax dollars collected from Waukesha County residents, or about $51 million in our 2025 budget, covers the portion of mandated programs that the state failed to fund. The county would prefer to use $51 million to pay for our Sheriff’s Department, 9-1-1 dispatch, or other vital county services,” Farrow explained. “On the one hand we have residents demanding high quality services, good roads, and safe communities and on the other hand we have many people who feel like they are already taxed too much and don’t want to pay more of their hard-earned money to the County, or any other government, so we have to find the right balance.”

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