Onalaska council approves $25 municipal vehicle registration fee after heated public comments and amendments

The Onalaska Common Council on July 8 approved Ordinance 18-26-2025 to impose a $25 municipal motor-vehicle registration fee, a measure supporters said would provide a steady revenue stream for street maintenance and critics called a new tax on residents.

The council passed the ordinance 4-2 after approving a three-year sunset amendment for the fee; an amendment to require a public hearing before any extension of the fee failed. The ordinance, as amended, sets the fee to take effect Nov. 1, 2025, and to sunset Dec. 31, 2028, unless council acts otherwise.

The measure prompted extensive public input during the meeting’s public-comment period. Resident Jerry Every told the council, “I don’t care what you want to call it, it’s a tax,” and urged the council to move a proposal like this out of the consent agenda so it receives committee-level review. Several other residents — including Charlie Slack, Jane Brennigan Bridal, Harriet Schuppel and Adam Trudell — told council members they oppose the fee or asked for a referendum, saying a $25-per-vehicle charge would burden seniors and households with multiple vehicles.

City staff and council members framed the fee as a narrowly restricted funding source for transportation and street-related costs. Amanda (city staff) explained that the fee, collected by the state at the time of annual registration, would be deposited into a segregated fund to pay for street-division operational expenses such as snow removal and pavement maintenance. Staff estimated roughly 16,500–17,320 eligible vehicles in the municipality and projected gross annual revenue in the neighborhood of $412,000 at a $25 fee; staff noted certain plates and vehicle types are exempt under state law.

Council debate focused on transparency, fiscal strategy and the burden on taxpayers. Alders who supported the fee said it was the most stable short-term solution to budget pressure caused by inflation and statutory levy limits; supporters also pointed to constraints on raising the property-tax levy and the difficulty of funding street maintenance from general revenues alone. Alders who opposed the measure or changed earlier support cited the city’s reserve balances and recommended deeper consideration of cuts, other revenue measures or referendums. One alder proposed a sunset and a public meeting; the sunset amendment passed and the public‑hearing amendment did not.

The ordinance was introduced as Ordinance 18-26-2025; a motion to approve was made by Alder Mike Milke and seconded by Alder Diane Wolf. Final roll-call for the ordinance (as amended) recorded four ayes (Jim Benash, Steven Knott, Larry Jurasick, Mike Milke) and two nays (Diane Wolf, Kathy Lowendorf).

Council members also discussed the mechanics and logistics of using the state’s registration system to collect the fee and noted the list of exempt plates under existing state law. Staff said the fee could be rescinded by a future ordinance at any time and that council could revisit the policy before the sunset date if conditions change.

The council’s action follows a period of budget-strategy conversations in June and will be reflected in the 2026/2027 budget planning process. The ordinance and amendments will be published in accordance with city procedures and state law.

Votes at a glance: Ordinance 18-26-2025 (municipal vehicle registration fee) — Passed 4-2 after amendment to sunset Dec. 31, 2028; effective Nov. 1, 2025. The council rejected a proposal requiring a dedicated public hearing before any extension of the fee.