Marathon County Board Chair Discusses Possible Shared Revenue

Friday, January 27th, 2023 -- 10:00 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) -Governor Tony Evers is promising more shared revenue for counties and municipalities.

Marathon County Board Chairman Kurt Gibbs says that's refreshing news after years of declining revenue. "The state, in 1987, was providing 46% of the county's funding. In 2019, that had fallen to 26%."

He says he also believes Evers' proposed funding formula- using one percent of the state's sales tax for shared revenue- would be a good plan. "And to tie it to the success of the state and to the success of the economy, I think would be welcome."

He says it's too soon to tell what kind of impact increased funding would have on taxpayers, or Marathon County's wheel tax. "The Devil is always in the details, so how much actual increase the county would see is not known at this time."

He says whatever amount the county gets, it'll be up to the board to decide where they'll go with it. "Where would it be utilized? It depends on where the priorities will be."

Gibbs notes that no matter what number the state comes up with, they will need to be split between all 72 counties and nearly two thousand townships, villages, and cities. "It would be an increase of $500 million, but again the $500 million would be shared among 72 counties, 1,249 different towns, and 641 cities and villages."

Increasing aid to counties and municipalities has been one area where Evers and the republican-controlled legislature have agreed on going into the next budget cycle.

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