More counties and municipalities in Wisconsin are turning to a local wheel tax to help pay for repairs to roads and public transit.
State law allows communities to collect vehicle registration fees, known as a wheel tax, on top of the state’s annual vehicle registration fee — which is $85 for automobiles. The revenue collected from the local wheel tax must be used for “transportation related purposes,” according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
In 2011, only four Wisconsin communities had a local wheel tax, according to a Wisconsin Policy Forum report. Currently, 51 municipalities and 14 counties have a local wheel tax…