Martin County Officials Make Plans for Wheel Tax Proceeds

Martin County officials are hoping to prove the benefits of last year’s hotly-debated wheel tax ordinance. 

In 2025, Martin County adopted a wheel tax and excise surtax, which generate approximately $500,000 annually for the county highway department. The proceeds must be spent on improvements to roadways, including bridges, and cannot be used for equipment or salaries. According to Martin County Officials, the goal will be to repair certain roads in each district, if possible. Those decisions will be based, at least in part, on an assessment of overall funding available. 

In his public comments, Highway Department Superintendent Scott Seals said that the decrease in available Community Crossings grants will also have an impact. The program’s funding shrank from $250 million to $100 million, with reduced maximum awards and a much more competitive application process. Seals explained, “That’s what happened this go-around. We didn’t get everything we wanted, so that will have to be made up. So, we may or may not get as much done.” According to Commissioner Paul George, the budget will be evaluated mid-year to make decisions on which road improvements should be prioritized and how best to use funds generated by the wheel tax. 

Commissioner Aaron Summers concluded that the county had very little choice in passing the ordinance, noting that “As far as the wheel tax, though, we were basically forced to have it if we wanted any kind of improvement on our roads.” George said that he has supported the tax since he first took office, noting, “Over the course of those 19 years, we’ve lost out anywhere between $200,000 to $500,000 every year. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we could’ve done some damage…and 15 years ago, materials weren’t near what they were today.” Seals said that he’s seen significant increases, with some costs doubling in a year. 

Officials said that use of the wheel tax funds will be carefully considered, with updates provided during municipal meetings that are open to the public. 

For more information on these and other updates, visit the Martin County Indiana Courthouse Facebook page. 

 - Drew Hasselbring