NEW ULM — Brown County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution for continuation of the half percent local option sales tax for transportation Tuesday.

The resolution authorized the continuation of the half percent sales tax for all Brown County sales until sufficient funds are available to construct 12 identified highway projects.

Commissioners reviewed and approved the current 10-year Road and Bridge Construction Program Nov. 28. Changes were made based on current construction costs, bond payments, estimated state aid, wheelage tax, the $125,000 local construction levy and the local option sales tax.

Brown County’s 2026-2035 10-Year Road and Bridge Construction Program identified $23.2 million in program funding in need of the tax local option sales tax for transportation.

The county began collecting the half percent sales tax for transportation in the second quarter of 2016. From that time to September 2025, $19,423,000 has been collected.

The 12 identified projects include surface rehabilitation projects scheduled for 2026 using the sales tax include $1.8 million for highway 2 from the south county line to highway 23 and $850,000 for county road 2 from highway 13 to highway 15.

The sales tax will be used for grading and surfacing projects on county road 100 from highway 3 to highway 5 for $600,000 in 2026 and $1.37 million on county road 100 from highway 5 to highway 16 in 2027.

“This has been a very good program for our highway system,” said Commissioner Brian Braun.

“Construction costs keep going up. We need to use this as much as we can,” said Commissioner Jeff Veerkamp.

“I can’t imagine where we’d be without this,” said Commissioner Scott Windschitl.

Brown County Administrator Sam Hansen said the sales tax creates 40% of county road construction revenue.

Future surface rehabilitation projects designated for county local option sales tax for transportation funding in 2030 include $1.4 million for county highway 10 from highway 24 to highway 27 and $1.2 million for highway 27 from highway 8 to highway 14.

Other projects include $1.9 million for highway 27 from highway 11 to New Ulm in 2032, $1.4 million for highway 22 from highway 4 to highway 10 in 2033 and $1.3 million for highway 11 from highway 22 to highway 24 in 2034.

Future grading and surfacing projects are $5.8 million for highway 5 from the south county line to Springfield in 2031 and $2.1 million for highway 24 from highway 15 to the east county line in 2035.

Approval came on a motion by Commissioner Braun, seconded by Veerkamp.