Tax hike coming | The Weekly Wausonian

Wausau news for the week of Oct. 19, 2023

Wausau residents are likely looking at a tax hike for 2024.

According to the first draft of the city’s budget for 2024, tax rates are set to go up 33 cents on $1,000 of valuation. That means the owner of a $100,000 house would see a $33 increase (or a more typical $200,000 house would see a $66 increase).

And that could increase — were all department requests for increases approved, that would add another 16 cents to the tax rate. That owner of the hypothetical $200,000 house would pay $98 more next year than this year. But that’s not likely to happen.

The 2024 budget is only in the beginning stages — so it could change a lot as the city’s Finance Committee continues to hold budget sessions.

The Wausonian plans much bigger deep dives on the budget, so stay tuned and make sure you’re subscribed!

Readers this week saw The Wausonian’s breakdown of the Wausau East Band Teacher Rob Perkins investigation. The Wausonian obtained all the records and spent hours and hours combing through them.

We also launched a new feature for paid subscribers: The Monthly Tavern report. I think it’s valuable to know what goes on in Wausau after dark, especially for those like me who are curled up inside by the time it gets dark.

What else in Wausau?

Meth seizure, missing suspect: Members of the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force busted up a drug house on Wausau’s west side, and seized over a pound of meth along with marijuana, some handguns and a bunch of paraphernalia. But the person suspected of dealing that meth and pot, Toua Yang, is on the lam, police say. The bust actually happened Sept. 26 but police didn’t put out a press release until this week.

Around the metro

Cuts for thee, raises for me: One year after county board members made numerous cuts to the budget, they’re giving themselves a raise. The county’s executive committee last week approved raises for county board members, as well as chairs and vice chairs of meetings. That move came after the county made major cuts last winter for the 2023 budget, including cuts to the library. Of course, technically the raises don’t go into effect until the next board takes office next year, but that will likely include many of the current members.

Separation justice?: The county’s administrator recently hinted at the possibility of a separate county alternative justice department. Lance Leonhard told county leaders that currently alternative justice programs are part of the administrator’s budget, but other counties often have a separate department. That allows for additional state and federal grant opportunities, he says. Right now, the idea is part of “high-level” conversations but is something county residents could see later on.

Business

Rewarding trouble: Kwik Trip leaders are scrambling after its rewards system has been down for nearly a week. An email from Kwik Trip advised reward card members to keep swiping their cards so they can eventually get those rewards counted. The outage has made headlines is several newspapers, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

License return: City leaders this week denied an extension for Campus Pub on the city’s north side to open. Since the business has been closed since early summer, the city can take back its liquor license. The next likely step is the city filing a complaint, and the city’s Public Health and Safety Committee holding a revocation hearing.

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Entertainment

Thursday, Oct. 19: Hey let’s be honest - some of us just aren’t going to be able to afford tickets to a Taylor Swift concert. They’re very expensive, OK? But if watching her on TV cheering in the box at the Kansas City football games doesn’t provide your Tay-Tay fix, the Grand Theater has the solution: A Taylor Swift Dance Party! Not at all affiliated with Taylor Swift apparently, it’s two hours of dancing along to her music with lasers and stuff. Fun! 7:30 pm. $28, which is approximately 1/1,000,025th the cost of an actual Taylor Swift concert ticket. Check out the event page for more.

Saturday, Oct. 21: Did you know there is a belly dancing group in Wausau? Well, there is, and it’s pretty darned cool. They’re going to be belly-dancing their way to Whitewater Music Hall this Saturday for a family-friendly show. Not only will there be belly dancing, but there will be some fire dancing as well. I’ve included some video below, and I think that’s more than enough to sell this event! 6 pm, free.

Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 19-21: Arsenic and Old Lace is a Broadway classic, running on the famed theater district for 1,444 performances. That’s several years, for those who want to do the math. But many probably know the comedy from its film adaptation in 1944 staring Cary Grant, Jean Adair and Josephine Hull. The story of zany Brewster family with poisoning plots, plastic surgery hijinx and one sister who thinks she’s Teddy Roosevelt, this dark comedy put on by the River and Woods Theatre group will leave you in stitches. 7 pm. $20 adults, $15 students and seniors. Buy tickets here.

Looking for kids/family events? Check out the family-oriented listing from The Wausonian’s partner Wausau Mama, who puts together a weekly listing of children/family activities.

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Sports

Football: Wausau West led D.C. Everest in the Wisconsin Valley Conference all season, but the Evergreens defeated the Warriors Friday to cap off the season. Both ended up tied for second place. SPASH finished at 7-0 in first, and Everest and West each finished 5-2 to share the runner up spot. Playoffs begin Friday, and West will take on SPASH in its first game. D.C. Everest heads to Neenah.

Volleyball: Marshfield pulled out a win against Wausau East last week, bringing the Tigers to a 11-1 record, tying D.C. Everest for first place to finish the season. D.C. Everest will host Wausau East today (Thursday) and Wausau West will head to Eau Claire North.

Boys soccer: D.C. Everest tied its last game of the season with Wisconsin Rapids 1-1 last Thursday, but they finished on top of the Wisconsin Valley Conference with a 7-1 record. Everest won its first game of the playoffs 3-0 against Superior and will take on Eau Claire Memorial Saturday in Eau Claire. Wausau West defeated Superior 6-0 and will head to Hudson on Saturday. Wausau East lost to Green Bay East.

Tennis: Mia Bailey of Wausau West won her first match but fell in the second round at the state girls tennis tournament. Alexis Kloth and Lilly Witwer of West were both eliminated in the first round of the tournament.

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