MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – A newly elected Marshfield alderperson is asking the Common Council to consider adopting a city wheel tax, arguing the revenue could ease the financial burden of special assessments on homeowners while providing additional funding for street improvements.
District 9 Alderman Richard Kranz introduced the discussion Tuesday without seeking immediate action, saying he wants legal and financial staff to evaluate whether a proposal could work before returning to the council.
Kranz proposed a $25 annual wheel tax and said his goal is not to increase the overall tax burden but to reduce costs borne by property owners when streets, sidewalks, and utilities are improved.
“The last thing I want to do is create another tax,” Kranz told the council. He said the proposal is intended to “lower the tax burden for residents here in Marshfield.”
Kranz suggested using approximately half of the revenue to offset special assessments levied against homeowners for public improvements, with the remaining funds dedicated to street and infrastructure projects.
He also floated the idea of exempting Marathon County residents from the city wheel tax because they already pay the county’s $25 vehicle registration fee. Kranz acknowledged that city legal staff would need to determine whether such an exemption is permitted under state law.
District 3 Ald. Natasha Tompkins questioned whether the numbers would work, noting that special assessments for road projects often total thousands of dollars while a household with two vehicles would contribute only about $1,000 over 20 years through a $25 annual wheel tax.
Kranz responded that not every property owner is assessed at the same time and said the proposal would create a shared fund to reduce those costs when assessments occur.
District 1 Ald. Michael Feirer recalled that voters overwhelmingly rejected a similar proposal years ago.
“I think it was coined ‘Wheel Tax Tommy,'” Feirer said, referring to a previous effort. He estimated the referendum failed by roughly a 90% to 10% margin.
Kranz argued residents should compare a $25 annual registration fee with the potentially much larger special assessments homeowners face for public improvements.
Mayor Nick Poeschel closed the discussion by asking Kranz to continue developing the proposal with legal and finance staff before bringing it back to the council.
The item appeared on Tuesday’s agenda as a request by Kranz “to consider implementing a wheel tax in the City of Marshfield,” with no formal action recommended. Watch the discussion here.
Author: News Desk
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