MILWAUKEE — Cudahy city leaders voted down a proposed $50 municipal wheel tax, which would have been the most expensive in Wisconsin, despite a projected $600,000 in revenue.
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The Cudahy Common Council held a special meeting packed with residents who came to voice their opposition to the registration fee. The proposed $50 tax, combined with existing state and Milwaukee County fees, would have brought total car registration costs in Cudahy to $165.
"It's not fair, the reason why it's not fair is that there are other ways to raise money than to put pressure on the citizens." Said Harrison Appleton, a Cudahy Resident.
Appleton argued the city should explore alternative revenue sources rather than burden taxpayers with additional fees.
Watch: Cudahy rejects proposed $50 wheel tax after community feedback amid budget concerns
After hearing from several speakers who opposed the measure, the council decided to remove the proposal entirely.
"There are roads in disrepair, yes, but there are other ways to go about raising revenue to fix the infrastructure," said Greg Witkowski, another Cudahy resident who supported the council's decision.
Witkowski suggested that the city could generate revenue through budget cuts and other fines, rather than implementing the wheel tax.
However, the rejection leaves Cudahy facing difficult decisions to address its budget gap. Mayor Ken Jankowski warned that services may suffer as a result.
"Some hard decisions will have to be made, like I said, we have positions that are open in DPW and the police department, and dispatch currently that we probably won't fill," Jankowski said after the meeting.
The mayor acknowledged that while the council listened to community concerns, the city still needs to find ways to balance its budget.
Frank Miller, a Cudahy resident, expressed worry about potential service cuts without the estimated $600,000 the wheel tax could have generated.
"The city's biggest single operating expense is people. Cops, firemen, DPW workers. If you're going to cut a million dollars out of the budget, you're going to cut 11 to 14 people, that is services," Miller said.
Jankowski said the city will revisit the budget in the coming days before their next meeting on November 18, as officials work to fill the financial gap through other means.
This story was reported on-air by Brendyn Jones and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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