WINNEBAGO COUNTY (NBC 26) — Winnebago County is considering implementing a 0.5% sales tax that could generate $20 million in annual revenue, with 30% going back to municipalities based on population.
Watch Kyle Langellier's full broadcast story here:
The proposed tax would make Winnebago one of the last counties in Wisconsin to adopt a county sales tax, as it's currently one of only two counties without one.
"I don't want to have to spend more, my first knee jerk reaction is resistance," said Emily Simon, creative director for The Revival, a local clothing shop.
Simon expressed concern about how the tax increase would affect people's basic needs like groceries, a sentiment shared by county officials.
"For a family like mine, we've already tried making cuts at the grocery store. It's a big personal issue for many members of our community who are running out of things to cut from our budget," said Rachael Dowling, County Supervisor for District 1.
Proponents of the tax cite rising county debt and increased operating costs from the recent acquisition of UWO Fox Cities campus.
Dowling emphasized the importance of public input before the vote.
"Often times what I'm hearing the community is once a change is made, people say 'I would have shown up if I had known,' so I want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to contact their local supervisor," she said.
The Winnebago County Board will vote on the resolution at their meeting in Oshkosh on Tuesday, August 19.
