Milwaukee Sales Tax Referendum Will Be on the Ballot November 4th
UPDATE Nov 5th: WE WON! Read more about the win on November 4th!
UPDATE 10/10/2008: For more information on how to support the sales tax referendum, please see this post about the Milwaukee sales tax referendum.
Good news for those in Milwaukee County who want lower property taxes, a funded parks system, and a modern transit system: the referendum for a 1% sales tax in Milwaukee County will be on the November ballot.
Voting in favor override Scott Walker’s veto were Supervisors Gerry Broderick, Toni Clark, Elizabeth Coggs, Marina Dimitrijevic, Lee Holloway, Willie Johnson Jr., Patricia Jursik, Christopher Larson, Theo Lipscomb, Michael Mayo , John Thomas, John Weishan Jr. and Peggy West.
Supervisors supporting Scott Walker’s veto: Mark Borkowski, Paul Cesarz, Lynne De Bruin, Joseph Rice, Joe Sanfelippo and Jim “Luigi” Schmitt.
Now the real work begins to get the truth about this referendum out to the public and start pushing back against the straight up lies and misinformation Scott Walker and his sycophants on talk radio have been putting out for months now.
It’s disappointing to see my own Supervisor, Lynne DeBruin, vote against the parks, transit, and lower property taxes and vote with the conservative bloc of the County Board despite pressure from her constituents to support the measure.
Milwaukee County Politics, Politics | Dan Cody | 
September 4, 2008 12:06 pm
I live in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI with my wife Jen, our daughter Emerson, and son Carter.
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By Dave Reid, September 4, 2008 @ 2:02 pm
Yea now we have to win this thing Dan.
By Smitty, September 5, 2008 @ 10:07 pm
I don’t think the citizens of Milwaukee county will vote themselves a tax increase, whatever its merits. And in this instance the drawbacks exceed the benefits.
By Daniel Cody, September 5, 2008 @ 11:34 pm
The “drawbacks” of course being lower property taxes, funding parks, recreation and EMS services at the levels they should be funded, catching up to the rest of the nation in terms of mass transit, and no more worrying about the costs of those services outpacing their rate at which they are funded.
The term “tax increase” is a boogyman phrase that’s been used for too long in our neck of the woods to scare people from ideas that conservatives in this County oppose. If a homeowners property tax bill would be up to 10% lower as a result of this referendum, I think most people would welcome that.
You call it a tax increase which is fine. Some see everything through that narrow prism. I call it investing in our infrastructure, creating jobs, and lowering my property tax bill.
By Smitty, September 6, 2008 @ 4:58 pm
Well, my “narrow prism” does call it a tax increase. A tax increase that will adversely affect low income, renters and retired people (like me). I also believe that any decrease in real estate taxes will be less than 10% and short lived…and I think that’s a safe bet.
By Daniel Cody, September 7, 2008 @ 9:49 am
I understand that Smitty, and it’s how the conservative side of this debate is going to play it. Just like screaming about a “$15 Billion tax increase!!!” during the healthy wisconsin debate.
It’s the same thing we’re hearing now on the national stage, especially from the McCain campaign: “Largest tax increase in the history of the universe”
Like I said though, this will move Milwaukee forward by developing the kind of infrastructure we need to compete economically and enable a quality of lifestyle that will draw workers and their families to the area.
By DaveS, September 10, 2008 @ 6:48 am
“Good news for those in Milwaukee County who want lower property taxes, a funded parks system, and a modern transit system: the referendum for a 1% sales tax in Milwaukee County will be on the November ballot.”
- Mayor Barrett will ask the council next week to approve an immediate $8 boost in the snow and ice fee, from $21 to $29 a year for the average homeowner.
- For 2009, Mayor Barrett wants to raise the solid-waste fee by 28%, or $37, from $132 to $169.
- Mayor Barrett wants to raise the local sewer fee by $6, from $73 to $79.
- Mayor Barrett wants to raise the storm water charge by $2, from $32 to $34.
- City of Milwaukee Common Council imposes a $20 wheel tax on every vehicle in the city.
- Mayor Barrett said, he will recommend a property tax increase more than this year’s 3.4% boost. The exact amount is still being calculated.
Do you see a pattern here? For four days, I listened to the Democrats in Denver tell us how miserable everyone was with rising fuel and food costs, working harder for less, tuition bills going up. And the litaney went on and on.
Please, explain to me, how these tax increases will help all these miserable Americans survive and pay their bills? Have all these Democrats in power, and this goes for the RINO Republicans, ever thought about CUTTING BACK on their budgets like all these miserable Americans have had to?
By Mony, October 20, 2008 @ 2:21 pm
By the way, the County only contributes about 19% of the total MCTS budget. I have to agree with Smitty, incresing the sales tax will adversly effect most people. And why should it matter if our property taxes go up? Property taxes pay for things like Schools, Parks, Police, Fire Fighters, etc. All things that are tangible and a part of our daily lives. Please raise my property taxes, and then cut out income tax and lower the sales tax.
By Sean, October 20, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
Taking more money out of the hands of consumers by the government does not help a community compete economically. Reliance on that way of thinking is not only stupid, it’s irresponsible.
By Pat G, November 4, 2008 @ 2:54 pm
You know i went to the polls today and i voted no on this… and i didn’t mean to. on the ballot it was worded in a confusing manner… all i saw was something about a sales tax increase for property tax relief. (since i rent i really don’t care if my landlord’s property tax goes up a tiny bit, he’s doing just fine and can’t raise my rent for 2 years anyway)….the parks and transit part was not really described much. Had i understood this issue beforehand i would have voted yes. :(