The Fitchburg City Council is considering a proposal that would impose a wheel tax, the Wisconsin State Journal reports, mirroring those implemented by Madison, Sun Prairie, and dozens of other municipalities. The news comes after voters in November rejected a $3.6 million property tax referendum.
The proposed $40 annual vehicle registration fee is projected to generate $1 million annually for Fitchburg’s transportation system. If approved, it will take effect Aug. 1 and apply to both newly registered vehicles and those with registrations that expire in or after August.
The funds generated by the proposed fee can be spent on “paths and trails, pedestrian safety improvements, lights/signals/signs, traffic markings, transit, and landscaped medians and roundabouts,” according to city materials.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation currently collects a wheel tax for roughly 48 municipalities and 13 counties statewide.
