APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Outagamie County Board Chairman says the passing of a sales tax increase in the county is going to pay off in the long run.
Despite opposition from County Executive Tom Nelson, Jeff Nooyen calls it a move in the right direction.
“This isn’t some slush fund, we are going to pay down debt, and if people don’t believe that, wait until the tax bills come out.”
Addressing Nelson’s comment that you should add a tax on a tax, Nooyen says little increases should not be the focus.
“If I have to spend a penny extra on a two dollar cup of coffee, I am okay with that if it is going to save me on my property tax.”
Nooyen calls it four prong success.
“It will bring property tax reduction, pay down and eliminate debt, pay for capital projects and it will be shared with the municipalities,” he explained. “You can’t provide local services without having a way to pay for them. People expect police services, fire services, their garbage picked up, and at the county level there is even more.”
Nooyen says they have ideas of what the money can be used for.
“We used to pay for roads in Outagamie County, we are borrowing for them now and that is a bad way to operate.”
The approval came on a vote of 28-4.
“Mr. Nelson is the first career politician that we have had running the county and he needs to listen to his staff.”
Click here to listen to the entire discussion on WTAQ’s Morning News with Matt and Earl.
