by Benjamin Yount
Milwaukee’s mayor says a local sales tax increase should be enough to pay for the city’s pension problems, but he’s not sure about the Republican plan to have voters okay it first.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Thursday said there are some issues with the specifics of the Republican plan to send more money to local governments.
“There are areas here where there are disagreements,” Johnson said. “But what remains is that we continue to discuss these matters in a bipartisan collaborative approach to solve these problems.”
Milwaukee would get part of the half-billion dollars earmarked for local governments in the Assembly Republicans plan, and would be able to raise the local sales tax to two-percent.
But voters would have to approve that tax increase.
“That’s why I said there are some disagreements. And some areas where there is still an opportunity to work on this. This is not done yet, there is a concept that is out there,” Johnson said. “It is my goal to get money in the door as quickly as possible.”
Johnson said the city of Milwaukee’s pension debt is about $120 million, which he says could be paid with a 2% sales tax.
The proposal would also move future Milwaukee employees to Wisconsin;’s statewide retirement system.
Johnson called it a “soft close.”
The Republican plan also limits Milwaukee’s new spending to police, fire, and EMS.
Lawmakers want to require Milwaukee to keep just over 1,700 officers in its police department. (That’s about 200 more than are currently on the force.)
Assembly Republicans also want to forbid Milwaukee from spending more on The Hop.
Johnson says the city is “continuing to discuss” the plan with lawmakers.
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Benjamin Yount is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Cavalier Johnson” by Cavalier Johnson. Background Photo “Wisconsin State Capitol” by Connor Betts.
