GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Green Bay’s city council has decided how it wants to spend its remaining excess Lambeau sales tax money.
In an early morning decision, the council voted against sending $2 million directly back to city property owners.
Since joining Green Bay’s city council a few months ago, Alderman John Vander Leest has pushed to divide the excess Lambeau sales tax money among the city’s property owners.
“It’s not a lot of money, but I’ll tell you what, it’ll help people that really need it”
Under Vander Leest’s latest proposal, $2 million would provide each property owner a check likely between $80 and $90.
“My proposal is a sound proposal. It will help every corner of the city, every district and it will have an economic impact on our city to the tune of two million dollars.”
But Mayor Jim Schmitt broke a 6-6 tie, denying the motion to spend $2 million on property tax relief.
The council decided to instead shift that money to infrastructure, agreeing to put more than $2.8 million toward things like roads, railroad crossings, flood remediation, and park projects.
The council also agreed to spend up to $300,000 on replacing lead pipes, and $1 million on economic development.
That sounds good to Alderman Bill Galvin
“Improving our community through investment in various projects will make this community a more desirable place for people looking to live”
The council now plans to use an application project to decide what specific economic development and infrastructure projects will receive part of the money.
