I would think that the overall economic impact of having the State Fair in ‘stallis is a net benefit to the community, but it’s worth knowing the costs.

A West Allis alderman is asking the city for a fiscal impact analysis of Wisconsin State Fair so he can better understand the total costs to taxpayers during the annual event.

Alderman Michael May submitted a letter to Mayor Dan Devine and his fellow council members Aug. 24 asking for support. The City Council will vote on his request Tuesday.

“Many people have come up to me and told me what a great thing (State Fair) is for the city’s tax base; I don’t think they understand it’s really a drain,” May said. “I’m not looking for an adversarial relationship; I just want to make sure we are protecting our taxpayers.”

May said contrary to popular belief, the state does not pay property tax to the city. He would like an analysis to show how much the fair impacts police, fire, engineering, public works and other costs associated with public safety, crowd control and parking management during its 10-day run in August.