(The Center Square) – Milwaukee County can no longer keep 100% of certain motor vehicle fines and forfeitures after a judge ruled an allowance for only Milwaukee to do so was unconstitutional.
The Wisconsin Constitution requires counties to send at least 50% of the proceeds of those fines and fees to the Common School Fund, which supports libraries in schools in the state.
Wisconsin’s last biennial budget, which began on July 1, 2025, allowed only Milwaukee County to keep all of the funds.
The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Menomonee Falls resident Christine Stueland by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.
“I know that every dollar matters,” Stueland said in a statement. “I am so thankful that WILL stood up for what’s right and protected the interests of taxpayers across Wisconsin.”
The change was estimated to cost the Common School fund $2.2 million per year, according to estimates from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Milwaukee County schools were still receiving benefits from the Common School Fund even without contributing funds.
“This decision brings an end to an unconstitutional and costly money grab by Milwaukee County,” WILL Associate Counsel Lauren Greuel said in a statement. “WILL continues to oppose reckless mismanagement and unconstitutional overreach because taxpayers deserve a government that’s efficient, accountable, and operates within the law.”