Sales tax collections continue to set records

As has been the trend for some time, sales taxes collected by Ozaukee County are headed for another record year.

Through April, sales tax collections in the county have totaled nearly $4.28 million compared to $3.59 million in the first four months of 2025.

Last year, the county collected $12.65 million in sales tax revenue, a record, according to the state Department of Revenue.

In 2024, the county collected nearly $12.2 million, an increase of 11%, or $470,000, over 2023’s then-record collections of $11.73 million.

For budget purposes, the county has traditionally been conservative in its projections when it comes to sales tax collections.

But that changed last year when supervisors drafted the budget for 2026.

The 2026 budget assumes $13.2 million in sales tax revenue, using the Wisconsin Counties Association’s estimate, $500,000 more than what the county staff proposed.

The WCA’s estimate is traditionally higher than the county’s.

The county collects a half penny in sales tax on every taxable dollar spent in the county. The county receives 97.75% of that money with the state getting 1.75% and retailers keeping 0.5%.

Reporting of sales tax collections lag two months behind the actual sales month, so the April figures weren’t known until the end of June.

The county initiated a 0.5% sales tax in July 1991 to pay for the Justice Center in Port Washington. It was made permanent in 1999, with the County Board requiring the revenue offset the property tax levy.

According to the state Department of Revenue, from 1991 through 1998, the sales tax generated almost $27.24 million for the Justice Center.

Since 1999, the sales tax has generated about $194 million, with that money going into the county general fund.