That says Manitowoc County Excecutive Bob Ziegelbauer is a proposed half-percent county sales tax that many local leaders say is necessary to deal with rising costs to fix a “crumbling infrastructre”. Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels and Two Rivers City Manager Greg Buckley have both gone on record supporting the tax as both feel the state has left local municipalities “holding the bag” to fix and repair roads while they cut back their financial support in- the- midst- of rising costs to do business. Some citizens have also asked why the county would borrow money plus interest for road repair when the tax would supply the funding. Ziegelbauer responds.
Some also say that approximately 25 percent or $1.5 million would be paid by out-of-county visitors.
State law mandates that only county government can enact such a tax however—cities can choose to implement a “mandatory referendum” on the issue. Conversely the county has authority to allocate or keep any money as they choose meaning municipalities asking for it may not see any of it at all. The county “Finance Committee” is holding exploratory discussions on the issue. Manitowoc is one of just six counties in the state without the half-percent tax.
