(The Center Square) – Waukesha County’s proposed sales tax is dead, and the county’s business community is happy to see it go.
Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow told county leaders this week he is scuttling his proposed half-percent sales tax. The Waukesha County Business Alliance was one of the first groups to publicly oppose the tax.
Business Alliance president Amanda Payne told The Center Square that they are looking ahead.
“The Waukesha County Business Alliance appreciates County Executive Farrow’s commitment to working with the business community, local legislators, and other stakeholders to find the best path forward for Waukesha County,” Payne said.
Farrow proposed the new sales tax as a way to close a $5 million budget gap. But Payne and the Business Alliance said the sales tax would actually cost taxpayers in Waukesha County closer to $60 million a year.
Farrow said instead of pushing for a tax, he intends to spend the next two years working with Wisconsin lawmakers to find a new way to support local government.
Payne said the Business Alliance wants to be a part of that conversation.
“The Alliance and our members have been clear in our desire to be part of the solution,” Payne added. “We believe in the ‘Waukesha Way’ of efficient, right-sized government and are eager to collaborate on solutions that preserve the county’s strong business environment while ensuring it remains a great place to live, work, and grow.”
Waukesha County is one of just two Wisconsin counties that does not have a sales tax.
Part of the opposition to Farrow’s tax plan was creating a new tax, but another part of the opposition was the rushed pace that it was presented,
Farrow first proposed the tax last October, and the vote on the new tax was scheduled for less than a month later.
County leaders slowed that down, however, and Farrow said the tax is now “officially dead.”
But Farrow also said that Waukesha County’s fiscal needs have not gone away.
Payne said that’s part of the Business Alliance’s focus on the future.
“As we continue to advocate for policies that help move the County forward, we are fully committed to working alongside the county executive, local legislators, and stakeholders to develop alternative solutions that address the County’s needs,” she added. “By working together, we can foster economic growth and ensure the long-term prosperity of Waukesha County.”