Evers signs bill ending 5-county Miller Park tax

Gov. Tony Evers has signed a bill ending a five-county tax that was instituted in 1996 to pay for construction of Miller Park in Milwaukee.

The 0.1% sales tax has been in effect in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha and Racine counties. About $600 million has been collected the past 23 years to pay for construction and interest costs at the stadium that’s home to the Brewers and opened in 2001.

The tax was previously projected to end in 2014. Under the new law Evers signed Wednesday, the tax must end on Aug. 31.

The estimated $16 million in taxes collected beyond what the stadium district needs to pay off its bonds and satisfied reserve requirements will be redistributed to the five counties for property tax relief, public safety, parks and recreation and economic development.

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