Marinette County’s new budget is officially in place. Tuesday the County Board of Supervisors reviewed the entire 2021 document as proposed by County Administrator John Lefebvre and presented by Finance Director Laura Mans. It shows the County’s operating tax levy dropping by about nine cents per thousand in 2021 and also boasts $3 million in debt reduction to be drawn from the County’s sales tax revenue. That sales tax is projected to increase by about 4.4% in 2021, which Supervisor Bonnie Popp says she wants to see benefit the Tourism and Development division through a $15000 line item increase she proposed for their budget to spend more money on their online presence.

However, Lefebvre contends that the $260000 budgeted for Tourism and Development is exactly what the division heads there requested and, even if that amount falls short, they have up to $180000 available in non-lapsing funds.

Ultimately, a motion to increase the Tourism and Development budget failed and the 2021 budget was approved as presented.