By Jalen Maki
Tomahawk Leader Editor
LINCOLN COUNTY – Lincoln County voters in the Tuesday, April 6 Spring Election rejected a referendum that asked if the county should be allowed to exceed levy limits by $700,000 per year from 2022 to 2026 to fund Highway Department operations and road maintenance.
According to preliminary results from the Lincoln County Clerk’s Office, 2,118 people (43.49%) voted “yes” on the referendum, while 2,752 people (56.51%) voted “no.”
The rejection of the referendum will likely put the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors’ spotlight on the county’s $20 vehicle registration fee, also known as the “wheel tax.”
During the board’s on March 16, county Finance Director Dan Leydet told Supervisors that, if the April 6 referendum were to fail and the wheel tax were allowed to lapse at the end of the year, the county would face a $560,000 hole in its budget next year.
The county board’s next meeting is slated for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at the Lincoln County Service Center in Merrill.