NEENAH (NBC 26) — The Neenah City Council has approved a new wheel tax with a near-unanimous vote that will take effect in 2026, replacing a previously struck-down funding mechanism for road and sidewalk repairs.
The $30 fee will apply to vehicles weighing 8,000 pounds or less and will generate funds for road maintenance and transportation projects throughout the city.
"I think it becomes the responsibility of all levels of government to find a way to take the burden off of residents who are already struggling mightily on today's day and age," Cameron Clark, a Neenah resident, said.
The decision comes after the city's previous Transportation Assessment Replacement Fee (TARF) was deemed illegal by the Wisconsin Manufacturer's & Commerce.
That fee had funded sidewalk and road projects from 2019 to 2024, charging a $40 unit fee for residents and higher fees for large businesses.
"We had to select the option that was best available, that we thought was most equitable as compared to the TARF," District 2 Alderperson Dan Steiner said.
The council voted 8-1 to implement the wheel tax, though not without opposition from both residents and some council members.
District 1 Alderperson William Pollnow Jr. expressed concerns about the tax's structure.
"This excludes commercial and industrial properties from contributing from street construction costs — who I believe are much harder on streets than regular vehicles," Pollnow said.
Some residents worry the tax could increase over time.
"We're already starting at 30. How long before it's 60? How before it's 85?" Scott Becher, a Neenah resident, said.
City officials considered other options including special assessments for homeowners and debt-levies, before settling on the wheel tax as the most equitable solution at this time.
After the vote, there was a collective dissatisfaction from audience members, but officials reassured residents that this was the best decision available to fund necessary infrastructure improvements.
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