Rhinelander voters will again decide next April whether to add a half-cent on the dollar tax on certain tourist-related sales to help fund infrastructure.
Voters last April approved an advisory referendum on the Premier Resort Area Tax. The tax is authorized by the Wisconsin Legislature and is administered by the Department of Revenue.
City Attorney Carrie Miljevich says not all businesses are authorized to have the tax, just those businesses with tourist-related sales...
"....not every single business within the city of Rhinelander is going to have this tax imposed on sales of goods at their business. The final decision(who is) a tourist-related retailer is up to the Department of Revenue...."
The theory of the tax is to help municipalities that have a large influx of visitors to pay for things like streets. Rhinelander's weekday population doubles with people coming in to work. Five communities have a Premier Area Resort Tax, including Eagle River.
The binding referendum will be held April 5 and if approved, the tax would go into effect January 1, 2017. In other action, the city approved the 2016 budget that is largely the same as last year's taxing and spending document.
