Central Wisconsin community and public safety leaders gather for the shared revenue bill signing in Wausau. MWC photo by Mike Leischner
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Two local Mayors were among the guests at Tuesday’s shared revenue bill signing.
Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg said she’s thrilled that the city’s chunk of shared revenue will jump to more than $5 million, but it’s not up to her to spend it. “That will be a council decision, of course,” said Rosenberg. “I was pleased to have our Finance Committee Chair (Lisa Rasmussen) and our Council President (Becky McElhaney) here because we are already thinking about what that looks like for next year’s budget.”
She says the move gives municipalities more flexibility with their budgets because they won’t be relying so much on the tax base for their operating income. “One million more dollars means we have the flexibility to pay for those critical services we provide for our citizens.”
Rosenberg has some ideas on how she would like to see the money get spent, but the final decision will rest with the City Council. She doesn’t rule out a small decrease in property taxes as a result of the extra revenue.
Just before the bill signing Rosenberg noted that the last increase in shared revenue for the city occurred when she was in high school.
Mayor Mike Wiza of Stevens Point says in his book, this isn’t a tax increase. It’s a case of the city getting a larger piece of tax dollars that are already being spent. “It’s money that you and I as taxpayers have already paid in. The state has been using it for its own purposes. Now, it’s being returned back to the communities where those taxpayers live,” said Wiza.
Wiza and others briefly discussed the possibility of putting an operating referendum to voters in the city during the last budget cycle, though he knew that momentum to a new shared revenue formula was moving in a positive direction. He adds that the new formula was a best-case scenario for everyone because other options such as a referendum mean asking the taxpayers to fork over more of their money to keep services afloat.
Wiza says his city’s share is just over $800,000. Wausau’s increase is slightly over $1 million.
Others who were on hand for Tuesday’s ceremony included former Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink, now the COO for the Wisconsin League of Municipalities. Marathon County Supervisors John Robinson and Kurt Gibbs were also on hand along with Rib Mountain Administrator Gaylene Rhoden.
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