Contact: Brian Rothgery, 414-278-4230
brian.rothgery@milwaukeecountywi.gov
MILWAUKEE – County Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, Sr. reaffirmed his opposition to doubling the county wheel tax today, in the wake of comments by Abele administration officials who suggested that taxpayers bear the costs of Abele’s failure to manage his departments and identify $3.75 million in savings across a $1.1 billion budget, as required, without impacting critical services.
“Abele wants to give all Milwaukee County residents a $60 wheel tax for the holidays, I remain opposed to doubling the wheel tax, and think he deserves a lump of coal for continuing to ignore the will of the voters.” said Lipscomb.
Following a Finance and Audit Committee discussion this week over the Abele administration’s $200,000 cut to emergency homeless shelter contracts, the Abele administration began a renewed push for the County Board to take up Abele’s proposal to double the wheel tax, even suggesting a special meeting before the holidays to act on it.
The Milwaukee County Board rejected Abele’s $60 Wheel Tax proposal, for the second time, last month when they adopted the 2018 Budget.
The Abele administration’s effort to reintroduce his failed $60 wheel tax comes as the Wisconsin Legislature is once again considering a bill that would require a majority of voters to approve a wheel tax before municipalities could collect the revenue, making the risk of this revenue source even more acute.
