City of Mosinee 225 Main Street, Mosinee, 54455 715/693-2275 Fax: 715/693-1324 www.mosinee.wi.us

American Planning Association National Award Community January 11, 2016

Sen. Janet Bewley Sen. Sen. Sen. Sen. Sen. Scott Fitzgerald Sen. Richard Gudex Sen. Dave Hansen Sen. Nikiya Harris Dodd Sen. Sheila Harsdorf Sen. Sen. Sen. Frank Lasee Sen. Julie Lassa Sen. Mary Lazich Sen. Devin LeMahieu Sen. Sen. Mark Miller Sen. Terry Moulton Sen. Sen. Luther Olsen Sen. Sen. Sen. Fred Risser Sen. Sen. Sen. Sen. Sen. Thomas Tiffany Sen. Sen. Leah Vukmir Sen. Van Wanggaard Sen. Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Peter Barca Rep. Rep. Terese Berceau Rep. Kathleen Bernier Rep. Rep. Rep. David Bowen Rep. Rep. Edward Brooks Rep. Robert Brooks Rep. Rep. Dave Considine Rep. David Craig Rep. Mary Czaja Rep. Chris Danou Rep. Steve Doyle Rep. Rep. James Edming Rep. Bob Gannon Rep. Eric Genrich Rep. Rep. David Heaton Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Rob Hutton Rep. Andre Jacque Rep. Rep. Adam Jarchow Rep. LaTonya Johnson Rep. Rep. Robb Kahl Rep. Rep. Rep. Frederick Kessler Rep. Rep. Rep. Daniel Knodl Rep. Dean Knudson Rep. Debra Kolste Rep. Dale Kooyenga Rep. Jesse Kremer Rep. Rep. Rep. Bob Kulp Rep. Thomas Larson Rep. Rep. Rep. Cory Mason Rep. Rep. Rep. David Murphy Rep. Rep. John Murtha Rep. Lee Nerison Rep. Rep. Rep. John Nygren Rep. Rep. Alvin Ott Rep. Jim Ott Rep. Kevin Petersen Rep. Rep. Rep Romaine Quinn Rep. Rep. Keith Ripp Rep. Rep. Mike Rohrkaste Rep. Rep. Melissa Sargent Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Amanda Stuck Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Chris Taylor Rep. Rep. Rep Rep. Nancy VanderMeer Rep. Rep. Rep. Dana Wachs Rep. Thomas Weatherston Rep. Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa Rep. Re: Room Tax Law Changes

To The Wisconsin State Legislature:

I serve as the Mayor of Mosinee, Wisconsin - a small community situated between Wausau and Stevens Point with a population of approximately 4,000. Mosinee has a hotel situated along Interstate 39. Currently, Mosinee assesses a room tax of 5.5%

Along with the municipalities of Rothschild, Schofield, Rib Mountain, and Wausau, Mosinee is a member of the Central Wisconsin Convention and Visitors Bureau (CWCVB). Currently, Mosinee pays over 50% of the room tax it collects to the CWCVB, historically directly investing the remainder of the collected taxes into a variety of local initiatives.

Mosinee, like other communities across the state, recently finished its annual budget planning for year 2016, the last year that we will be able to plan on retaining a larger share of room taxes before the impacts of recent changes to the room tax law become a reality. Based on my staff's preliminary calculations, during the first 5 years of the changes, the City of Mosinee will be forced to give a designated tourism entity over $23,000 in additional room tax revenue.

As many of my fellow local elected officials throughout the state surely told legislators and Governor Walker prior to passage of the budget, these changes will have important consequences at the municipal level. The City of Mosinee has always utilized the room tax revenue that it retains to fund in-direct tourism related initiatives such as funding our Chamber’s 4th of July fireworks, park improvements and the installation of amenities within our historic downtown area which we consider as a tourism destination. These initiatives may not seem like a lot but in a small community like Mosinee there are real and meaningful impacts that come from the loss of these funds. For example, each year the City of Mosinee strives to find approximately $10,000 in its budget to purchase one new piece of playground equipment for one of our many parks. Continuing to improve our parks is not only important for our tax paying residents but it is important for our tourism. Visitors with small children should have quality parks available to them. As another example, this year our Council made tough decisions to include $10,000 in our budget for tree replacement. Our community will be losing numerous trees on public property, including one of our most prized public parks, due to the spread of Oak Wilt. Unattractive parks with dead trees or no trees do little to attract tourists.

These are just a few examples of direct investment in Mosinee that are intended to make it a better place for visitors. It is a simple reality that there will be less and less of these improvements as we are forced to give more of our room tax dollars to regional entities. A small community like Mosinee is unlikely to create a tourism entity of its own to retain these additional dollars. Consequently, smaller communities are forced to turn to larger, regional visitor bureaus with even more of their room tax dollars.

I am extremely concerned that this legislation was far from properly vetted. It was inappropriately worked into the budget process rather than being presented as standalone legislation. As shared revenues have drastically decreased in recent years in an era of levy limits, municipalities, who are at the ground level of government, are simply running out of options to improve our local communities. As the Legislature returns to business in 2016, I encourage you to call for a new examination of the room tax changes and to welcome sensible legislation that has a chance for independent consideration separate and apart from the budget process.

Respectfully,

The Honorable Brent Jacobson Mayor, Mosinee, Wisconsin [email protected] cc:

Wis. Towns Association Wis. League of Municipalities