PLOVER, WI (WSAU) — Plover Administrator Steve Kunst is nearing the end of his first budget process with the Village.
He says taxpayers should expect a small increase in their bills, but he’s happy that they found a way to keep the increase well below the rate of inflation. “It’s approximately 2.8%. That’s certainly minor in the face of inflation that we’ve been dealing with for years.”
Kunst credits previous Village administrators and the current department heads with their fiscal responsibility, while also noting that the new shared revenue formula will go a long way to helping them out.
“I certainly want to thank [state lawmakers] for acknowledging that the system needed to be looked at. I think there is still some work that needs to be done, but by no means was what they did small. It certainly makes a big difference,” said Kunst.
He’s referring to what is now Wisconsin Act 12, which reserves the first 20% of all state sales tax revenue for distribution to cities, counties, towns, and villages. It’s been lauded as one of the most significant achievements of the last year by many communities.
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The bill was negotiated in the state Legislature last spring and signed in Wausau back in June.
Kunst adds that the budget includes one major road project that will impact residents for several months. That involves County Highway B near I 39 and Mark Toyota to Post Road. That stretch of road will be torn up and resurfaced starting next spring.
He calls the project intrusive but certainly necessary. “We have had a lot of meetings with local business owners along that corridor and they are on board with it. They understand it is a challenge that we need to get done.”
Other topics Kunst discussed with WSAU’s Mike Leischner include:
Start of video- Welcome and budget
11:40- Future growth for the Village
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