Wisconsin Rental Tax Increase to Pay for Commuter Trains
In addition to state and county taxes, current $2 tax would rise to $15, adding up to 22.6 percent tax on each car rental.
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle will back a $13 increase in the rental car tax affecting Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties to pay for new commuter trains, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The plan was recommended last week by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority and requires approval from the state Legislature. The tax increase emerged as the consensus choice after Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker refused to agree to a local sales tax.
Federal and state aid and fares are expected to cover most of the line's $198 million construction cost and $10.9 million-a-year operating cost, leaving the RTA to raise $4.2 million a year through the rental car tax, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
During last week’s RTA meeting, county representatives turned down a plan coupling the rental car tax increase with legislation allowing local governments to seek a sales tax of up to 0.5 percent to replace property tax support for their bus systems.
The motion was changed to commit the RTA to finding some other funding source for local buses, without mentioning any particular tax. That measure was adopted unanimously.
More Rental Operations

Southwest Airlines Selects CarTrawler For Its Car Rental Booking Platform
The platform is designed to allow customers to compare and book rental vehicles more easily during the travel booking process.
Read More →
Cross-Pressures, Evolving Trends Drive 2026 Rental Car Industry
A combination of cautious economic behavior, shifts in the rental vehicle market, and technological influences are shaping car rental operator decisions.
Read More →
Government Affairs Executive Wins Leading Rental Car Industry Award
Robert Muhs started in the car rental industry with Avis Budget Group two years before the first International Car Rental Show.
Read More →
Green Motion Expands Its African Presence with Mozambique Launch
This new rental car outlet reflects the growing demand for reliable transportation and the emphasis on sustainable travel across the continent.
Read More →
RentalMatics, GeoInt Partner On Rental Car Speed Tracking Tech
Rental operators can now detect and act on speeding while vehicles are still on rent, thereby reducing fines, admin workload, vehicle wear, and safety risks.
Read More →
NextPass Expands Toll Payment Service to Highway In Toronto
Fleets and consumer can use a transponder-less option when traveling between Canada and the U.S.
Read More →
Zubie, PurCo Integrate Rental Damage Detection With Telematics
The combination brings actionable vehicle insights into PurCo’s PurInspect platform, improving damage detection and operational efficiency for rental fleets.
Read More →
U.S. Length Of Rental (LOR) Declines Slightly in Q1 2026
LOR related to insurance claims overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.
Read More →
Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services
The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.
Read More →
Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds
The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.
Read More →
