Marijuana taxes, gas prices and rehashing the Brewers’ $500 million taxpayer deal

 

Wisconsin could bring in tens of millions of dollars a year from recreational marijuana, an issue dividing the two candidates for governor.

Adam Hoffer, director of excise tax policy at the Tax Foundation, was in studio to discuss the potential state revenue, how Wisconsin's gas tax compares with neighboring states, and what drivers would gain — and lose — if the tax were suspended.

Hoffer also weighs in on the debate over city taxes and spending with La Crosse facing a budget shortfall and the choices facing city leaders.

Plus, we look at the Brewers' $500 million stadium deal, why sports teams use the threat of relocation to seek public money, and how stadium developments can make money for team owners beyond the games themselves.

Hoffer also updates us on his quest to walk every road in the city, how many miles he's covered, and what he's observed along the way.

Conversation highlights:

  • Marijuana money: How much Wisconsin could collect from recreational marijuana, and why the final number depends on the tax rate and what gets legalized.

  • Gas tax holiday: Wisconsin's 32.9-cent-per-gallon tax and what happens to roads and bridges if it were suspended. .

  • The gas-price markup: Wisconsin's 9% minimum markup law and a proposal to suspend it to bring down prices at the pump.

  • The Brewers and public money: Whether taxpayers got a fair deal on the stadium funding package, why teams threaten to leave, and how surrounding real estate developments can create another revenue stream for owners.

  • La Crosse taxes: Hoffer's take on the city raising property taxes, as La Crosse faces a $681,000 2027 budget shortfall.