If you notice some of the items you purchase in Sturgeon Bay cost a little more on Wednesday than they did earlier in the week, there's a reason for that.
July 1 marks the first day the city's Premier Area Resort Tax, or PRAT, goes into effect. The 2025-27 state budget allowed the city, along with the town of Minocqua, to join other tourism-oriented communities, including Ephraim and Sister Bay, in charging an additional 0.5% tax on items typically associated with tourism.
The tax does not apply to essentials such as gasoline and groceries.
Last year, Sturgeon Bay Mayor David Ward estimated the PRAT would cost the average Sturgeon Bay family about $30 a year, with most of the revenue generated by visitors. He said the tax would help spread the cost of repairing the city's roads, an area where the city has fallen behind.
