GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The Brown County Taxpayers Association is appealing a judge’s ruling that upheld the county’s half-percent sales tax.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a Milwaukee-based conservative law firm, filed the notice of appeal on BCTA’s behalf.
Attorneys are arguing that the sales tax is illegal because state law only allows counties to impose sales taxes to reduce property taxes.
The sales tax implemented in 2018 is expected to fund the new Resch Expo center, road and infrastructure improvements, the county jail, museum, libraries and parks.
“The law states that tax proceeds may be used ‘only for the purpose of directly reducing the property tax levy,’” BCTA president Richard Heidel said in a news release.
“But Brown County is still permitted to devote well over $100 million … to new spending items. This needs another look.”
Brown County corporation counsel David Hemery says…
“The Brown County Taxpayers Association, led by Rich Heidel, has now cost the county over $250,000 in legal fees to date. And this appeal is going to keep that meter running. Why I’m suprised, is I wonder why a self-described taxpayers’ organization would oppose a plan that in just six years reduces county debt by $70 million, and saves us $40 million in interest payments. It’s beyond me. It might be time to re-evaluate what they’re trying to accomplish.”
Brown County Judge John Zakowski ruled in March that the tax is legal. BCTA asked him to reconsider, but Zakowski affirmed his ruling earlier this month.
No court date for the appeal has been set yet.
