The Brief
- Sen. Van Wanggaard says Milwaukee spent more than 90% of new sales tax revenue on raises and pensions, but Mayor Cavalier Johnson says the claims are misleading.
- Act 12 requires most sales tax revenue to go toward the city’s pension, with remaining funds meant for hiring more police and firefighters.
- City leaders in 2024 approved their first raises since 2008; currently, the police union is in arbitration seeking a 12.75% raise – more than the city’s 9% offer.
MILWAUKEE – A new fight is erupting over how Milwaukee is spending its new sales tax money, as the city now faces a $100 million dollar budget gap.
Milwaukee’s decades-long push for more funding came true in 2023, when state law changed to allow the city to approve Wisconsin’s first-ever city sales tax of 2%. Now, a Republican lawmaker says he’s worried about where he thinks the money is going.
What they’re saying:…