Monday, Oct. 16, 2023
Would the four suburban counties taxed to build the Milwaukee Brewers stadium provide local tax money for stadium improvements?
Legislation to provide $546 million in public funds for American Family Field improvements would not require contributions from the suburban Milwaukee counties of Ozaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha.
The Republican-led bill is scheduled for an Assembly vote Oct. 17, 2023.
The state would contribute $411 million and the city and county of Milwaukee a total of $135 million. The Milwaukee Brewers would contribute $100 million.
Exempting the suburban counties would be a change from the funding formula that built the stadium.
A 0.1% sales tax imposed in the five counties raised $609 million over 24 years for construction of what was originally known as Miller Park, which opened in 2001. The tax ended in 2020.
The board of the state-created Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District, which enacted the sales tax, has members from the five counties.
The district owns 64% and the Brewers own the rest of the stadium.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Wisconsin State Legislature AB438: Bill Text
- Wisconsin State Legislature Assembly Calendar
- AP News Republicans tweak Brewers stadium repair plan to cut the total public contribution by $54 million
- Wisconsin State Legislature Local Professional Sports Facilities Financing
- wibaseballdistrict.com Financial statements
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