If you had been at the City Of Green Bay budget hearing last month (and since the place was empty, I’m guessing you weren’t) you understand that the city is handcuffed by the state when it comes to making money. Madison takes (and keeps taking). But limits how we can raise money ourselves. (story HERE).

Which is why a proposal from Brown County that would share a portion of their sales tax revenue with Green Bay and other municipalities is a fine idea (story HERE). We need it. And so does everyone else.

Unfortunately, there is some opposition. The naysayers say we should just raise the sales tax ourselves. As if our local leaders hadn’t already thought of that already.

The truth is that the state won’t let us. And we can’t depend on the state to help us here. Heck, the legislature couldn’t even save the Green Bay homeless veterans facility which closed this year, putting myself and other veterans one step closer to living on the street. (story HERE).

One angle that hasn’t been covered so far in the story is that you and I are paying that sales tax. Along with every other fee that Brown County throws at us. Which is a lot. And myself along with many others don’t see a return of investment.

Next year is going to be big here in Brown County. And the future is bright for Green Bay and all of the other municipalities, if the state ever takes these handcuffs off of us.

But that’s not realistic. Let’s work with Brown County and make sure we’re doing everything we can to ensure all of the residents in the area are prospering.