Surplus money from a local sales tax surcharge to pay for work at Lambeau Field will go to local governments in Brown County, under a bill signed by Gov. Scott Walker at the Green Bay Packer's home stadium on Monday.
The Brown County stadium district was required to build a reserve fund for maintenance and operating costs of the iconic Green Bay stadium, but as of March 30, the district board had collected enough to pay for the costs. Under state law, the stadium sales tax surcharge was collected in Brown County through Sept. 30, which meant more taxes were collected than needed.
When lawmakers took up the proposal, officials reported the estimated excess taxes between April 1 and Sept. 30 at $17.6 million. Brown County will receive a quarter, roughly $4.4 million, while the rest will be distributed to 24 municipalities in the county based on population. The money may be used for property tax relief, tax levy-supported debt relief or economic development.
The legislation passed the Senate unanimously in September and passed the Assembly 89-2 on Oct. 27.
A half-percent sales tax surcharge has been levied in Brown County since 2001 to pay for renovations and maintenance of Lambeau Field. More than $300 million was collected.
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