News, Analysis, and Insights
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Breaking News – Kronenwetter Village Clerk Bobbi Birk-LaBarge has resigned.
By a letter to Kronenwetter Village President Chris Voll dated November 12th, 2024, Village Clerk Birk-LaBarge resigned. The effective date of her resignation is November 23, 2024.
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Marathon County Budget: Combating Misinformation
Marathon County has, in my opinion, been providing materially false information in its audited financial statements for many years. When this was pointed out, the response was to double down on the misinformation in an effort to continue to raise property taxes and avoid a repeal of the wheel tax. While it is probably too…
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Talking Marathon County Taxes on Air with Meg
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Marathon County Public Hearing – Budget
November 11th, 2024 at 3:00 PM – Marathon County Courthouse. Please consider attending this Public Hearing to give the County Board your input on raising property taxes and abolishing the wheel tax. If you want to speak on the Budget and taxes, you should do that during the Public Hearing part of the meeting, not…
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Fourth and Fifth Election Complaints Filed Against Kronenwetter Clerk Birk-LaBarge
The fourth complaint was filed by the Mosinee School Superintendent and addressed the issue of the Village handing out incorrect ballots. This complaint was rejected by WEC because the Superintendent does not live in the Village, but could be filed again by someone who lives in the Village. The fifth complaint alleges that the Village…
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Marathon County has more than $64 MILLION in EXCESS Reserves and still wants to raise your property taxes.
SYNOPSIS: Call or Email your County Supervisor and ask them to cut $1.6 million from the proposed 2025 property tax increase AND rescind the County wheel tax. The $64M+ in EXCESS reserves are just from the County’s General Fund, Social Improvement Fund, and Highway Fund and DOES NOT include the normal fund balance reserves needed…
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Do the County’s Large Reserves Violate State Law? – Part 2
SYNOPSIS: The evidence strongly suggests that the County has been typically funding perhaps 20 to 35 positions that it has little or no intention of filling during the upcoming year. The funding for these planned unfilled positions would presumably provide additional funding “earmarked” for future CIP rollover. While I don’t have definitive proof that this…
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Do the County’s Large Reserves Violate State Law? – Part 1
Synopsis: The general rule in Wisconsin prohibits municipalities from accumulating unappropriated surplus tax revenues. Accordingly, unspent funds in municipal accounts, if not designated for any particular purpose, must be considered “funds on hand” under Wis. Stat. 65.90(1), and used to defray budgetary costs and reduce the tax levy for the ensuing year. Immega v. City…
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Reminder: Marathon County 2025 Budget – Public Hearing
Friday, November 1st, 3:00 PM at Court House https://www.marathoncounty.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/1736/17 https://www.marathoncounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/13992/638658139371696413
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Marathon County Board: Who is your Supervisor?
Marathon County Board Supervisors (April 2024 to April 2026) Click Link to Send an Email to a Supervisor. https://www.marathoncounty.gov/about-us/government/county-board/members County Wide Map https://www.marathoncounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/10300/638270198627800000 Metro Map https://www.marathoncounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/10302/638270198893900000 Look up Your Supervisor by Address: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/My-Elected-Officials REFERENCES: