Milwaukee County approves sales tax increase as part of plan to avoid bankruptcy

By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Milwaukee County board has voted to nearly double the county’s sales tax, two weeks after the city of Milwaukee approved a local sales tax increase as part of a bipartisan plan to avoid bankruptcy. The county board voted Thursday to approve raising the county sales tax to just under 1 cent per dollar. Both the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County faced running out of money without additional revenue to pay for basic services including police and fire protection. Milwaukee leaders successfully lobbied the Republican-controlled Legislature to increase funding for all local governments statewide and tie future increases to state sales tax revenue.