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La Crosse County makes plans to promote highway funding questions

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Those four highway funding referendums planned by La Crosse County this fall will need some explaining, or at least, publicity.

The county may spend up to $30,000 to inform the public about the referendums.

“We had workshop meeting today to begin the process of planning this voter information campaign but we’re waiting to see if there’s approval from the board before we get too far into the details at this stage of the game,” county board chair Tara Johnson said.

The idea, of course, is that people will have to know what they’re voting on.

“You put the questions on the ballot and, if we do nothing to educate voters and inform them of the four questions, we think that’s irresponsible,” Johnson said.

The proposed options include a premier resort area tax (PRAT) and a county wheel tax.

Johnson says one mailing about the referendums probably will be sent to voters before the election, adding the flyer isn’t meant to persuade voters to approve any one option but, mainly, to explain what ‘yes’ and ‘no’ votes would mean.

Johnson talked about how a similar campaign was launched last year before a referendum supporting the PRAT, which was basically a 1-percent tax on most goods sold in the county.

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.

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