Friday, January 24, 2020 - 9:41am

A $40 vehicle registration fee for City of Madison residents is new in 2020 and was created to support the expansion of Metro Transit bus service, including the future implementation of bus rapid transit. As part of the program, the City implemented new subsidies for low-income bus riders and youth.

The Madison Finance Committee also passed a budget amendment in October 2019 to pay for a reimbursement program for clients of the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) nutrition program.

Families who participate in the WIC program and live in the City of Madison are eligible to receive a $40 Visa gift card. The program went into effect on January 21, 2020. Families must provide proof that they paid their vehicle registration in 2020. Proof of payment is the Certificate of Vehicle Registration that comes with the license plate tags. Families can receive a gift card for each vehicle they register.

“Many people think of WIC as being solely a food and nutrition program, but we do much more than that,” says Katrina Harwood, WIC’s Public Health Supervisor. “It is our responsibility to be a liaison between our clients and community resources, and we are very excited to be part of this initiative.”

The gift cards are available during scheduled WIC appointments and are also available on a walk-in basis during normal WIC clinic hours.

To be eligible for the WIC program you must be a Wisconsin resident, be pregnant or have a child under five years old, and meet income guidelines. To learn more about WIC eligibility, visit publichealthmdc.com/WIC or call 608-267-1111.