GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Governor Scott Walker has signed a bill into law returning $17 million in excess Lambeau Field sales taxes to Brown County during a visit to the Atrium Monday.
The bill requires the Wisconsin Department of Revenue to give one-quarter of the money to Brown County for redeveloping the aging Brown County Arena.
The remainder will be distributed to municipalities in Brown County, based on population, in order to lower property taxes, debt relief or for economic development.
A half-cent sales tax went into effect in January 2001 in Brown County to help pay for stadium upgrades. The tax paid for $160 million in borrowing for the $295 million renovation. The tax technically ended this spring but retailers could keep collecting it until September, resulting in $17.6 million in excess taxes.
