Contact: Aaron Collins, 608-266-2254
Higher taxes for homeowners, less money for schools, lower taxes for corporations
MADISON – Homeowners in Wisconsin will see higher property tax bills in 2018. A new memo from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau details how property taxes on a median-valued home have risen for three consecutive years. Since taking office, Governor Walker has stated that he would keep property taxes down, even going so far as to say he would veto any budget that increased property taxes.
“Actions have consequences. When you sign massive tax cuts for wealthy corporations, refuse to expand Medicaid, and slash K-12 funding; someone has to foot the bill,” Rep. Hintz stated. “Shifting the cost of public funding for private schools to local property taxpayers and failing to close the dark store loophole have added to burden placed on residential property taxpayers.
Since taking control of state government seven years ago, Governor Walker and Republicans have rapidly shifted priorities in the state. They have placed a strong emphasis on diverting hundreds of millions in state resources toward tax breaks that primarily benefit the wealthy including the Manufacturing and Agriculture Tax Credit which gave 74% of the benefit to individuals with adjusted gross incomes of over $1 million. He has also cut $77.7 million in total K-12 funding relative to 2010-11 funding levels – which has led to many school districts seeking to recoup this lost revenue through referenda.
“Taxpayers know what happens in states that don’t invest in education. They have shown that each year they are more and more willing to take money out of their own pockets to pass local school referendums if it will reverse some of the harm Republicans have inflicted on our classrooms. But our local schools should not have to go to referendum just to keep the lights on. If Republicans were adequately funding schools this simply would not be happening. For four straight budgets Governor Walker has been artificially buying down the property tax levy to maintain his political talking points. Eventually these decisions catch up with you. We’re now seeing the adverse effects of these politically-motivated choices.”
