09/14/2018- Marinette County’s 2019 budget will go before the County Board this month, but not everyone is on board with where the funds are coming from and how they’re being spent. The Administrative Committee reviewed the budget Wednesday, which incorporates County Administrator John Lefebvre’s plan to allocate the county’s sales tax revenue and debt service levy toward repaying the county’s debt as it becomes callable. But, committee member Rick Polzin says with $28-million in unassigned funds, the county could reduce or eliminate the debt service levy and still cover its obligations, offering some relief to taxpayers and boosting the local economy.
Committee member Vilas Schroeder disagrees, saying eliminating the levy would only give about $24 per person back to the taxpayers and that economic impact would be minimal.
A motion was made to eliminate the debt service levy for 2019 and dip into the unassigned fund balance to make up the difference in the budget. However, that motion failed 4-2 and the committee ultimately ended up forwarding the 2019 budget as presented on to the full County Board.