GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Green Bay’s city council has made its first decision on how to spend part of the $5.4 million it received in excess Lambeau sales tax money.
The council voted unanimously Tuesday night to spend about a fifth of the money, $1.2 million, to pay off debt.
While the council made the vote without any discussion, council members had a lengthy debate on whether to pursue a referendum on how to spend the remaining money, about $4.2 million.
Alderman John Vanderleest had wanted to ask voters whether they wanted the excess sales tax money to be returned through property tax relief.
“I’d want my question to be stated that the money would be returned back through the 2017 property tax relief”
But a majority of council members, like Barbara Dorf, agreed they have already heard plenty of feedback from the public.
“I think that we have a heard the voice of the people through the process of being elected to our offices”
The council voted to not pursue an advisory referendum, which would have been on the November ballot.
Alderman Bill Galvin has proposed coming up with a system to weigh the 30 or so economic development projects that have asked for a portion of the excess tax money.
Galvin’s proposal will likely be taken up on a committee level next week.
