Sales Tax Update

On Tuesday, January 28^th 2025, Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow spoke before the Waukesha County Board of Supervisors and announced the sales tax ordinance introduced October 22, 2024, that would have provided municipal aid, and a significant property tax cut is officially dead.

“Over the next two years, I will collaborate with local legislators, legislative leaders, and the Waukesha County Business Alliance during the state's legislative session to optimize revenue generating options for counties and minimize unfunded state mandates,” County Executive Paul Farrow said.

In addition to working with local lawmakers, the County Executive outlined a multi-pronged strategy which focuses on connecting with the business community, examining significant service cuts and engaging with the public for more transparency into what their county government does, how it impacts their lives, and how critical services are prioritized and funded.   

Waukesha County is the lowest spending county per capita statewide and among only two counties that has not implemented a county sales tax. 44% of all county property tax dollars collected from Waukesha County residents, or about $51 million in our 2025 budget, covers the portion of mandated programs that the state failed to fund. The county would prefer to use $51 million to pay for our Sheriff’s Department, 9-1-1 dispatch, or other vital county services.  

“On the one hand we have residents demanding high quality services, good roads, and safe communities and on the other hand we have many people who feel like they are already taxed too much and don’t want to pay more of their hard-earned money to the County, or any other government, so we have to find the right balance,” Farrow added.