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Sawyer County finance staff briefs committee on sales tax, budget timeline, investments and potential Act 10 impacts
Summary
Finance staff reported on sales tax receipts and fund balances, outlined a revised budget timeline and CIP deadlines, described investment holdings and ARPA closeout, and briefed the committee on potential fiscal impacts if Wisconsin—s Act 10 were reversed, including an estimated $800,000 retirement-contribution cost.
A Sawyer County finance staff member gave the committee a monthly finance briefing covering sales tax receipts, general fund status, capital projects and investments, and outlined potential fiscal outcomes if the state restores pre-Act 10 collective-bargaining rules.
On revenue, staff said May sales-tax receipts were slightly down from last year but the projection still "shows almost 3,300,000.0," which staff described as a favorable trajectory compared with recent flat years. The general fund is through May at about 42% of the year—s budget, and expenses overall are tracking near expectations.
Staff reviewed capital-improvement purchases, noting work on the jail Huber wing roof and small projects at the Oasis Building. The airport completed a runway project ahead of schedule and reported stronger-than-budgeted 2024 receipts; 2025 activity lags slightly because of reporting delays tied to fuel and landing-fee reporting.
On investments, staff reported several certificates of deposit and money-market holdings and said an outstanding ARPA allocation (about $200,000) had been paid out in May and would be cleared from the unspent ARPA line in next month—s report. The finance staff also explained a Local Area Tribal Council Fund (LHCF) balance that could be used for strategic-planning priorities; the transcript noted the money has no restrictions.
Committee members and the public discussed potential changes to state law known as Act 10. Finance staff described how the original Act 10 implementation had required employees to pay a share of the Wisconsin Retirement System contribution and had allowed employers more control over health-insurance plan design and premium contribution. Staff estimated that a full reversal that restored employer payment of both halves of WRS contributions could cost the county about $800,000 annually. "The potential big cost then, if it went that far, if it was restored where the employer paid both halves of WRS. That would be about an $800,000 hit for the county," the finance staff said.
Public commenter Linda Zellmer urged changes to the county—s budget process to provide department-level committee reviews and called for review of the county—s investment policy and greater public input on the Veterans Memorial site decision. The transcript records that the county had corrected last year—s missing budget hearing posting and that staff had moved the posting earlier this year; staff said department budget reports and CIP entries will be due July 31 and that salary/benefit assumptions include a 5% health-insurance increase in the planning documents.
No formal vote was required for the overview items; the committee instructed staff to monitor Act 10 developments and to return with more information as needed.
