MADISON, WI – A new article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shows that Milwaukee residents are paying record-high property taxes — and the driving cause of these tax hikes are Republican cuts to education spending in Wisconsin. From Wauwatosa to Prairie du Chien, hardworking men and women are being forced to raise their own taxes in order to support their local public schools.
Republican lawmakers like Sen. Howard Marklein and Sen. Rob Hutton vote against each and every proposed investment in public education while their districts and communities are asked to do more with less. Marklein’s 17th Senate District saw more school-funding referendums last year than any other district in the state, yet he does nothing to address the needs of his constituents.
“In 2024, 241 school referendums were held across Wisconsin, with voters approving a record 169 ballot questions, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Over one-third of Wisconsin’s 421 public school districts passed a referendum in 2024, authorizing a record of $4.4 billion in new funding.”
SSDC Communications Director, Will Karcz, released the following statement on Wisconsinites facing tax hikes due to Republican failures:
“Taxes and costs are going up across the state because of the inaction and negligence of Republicans in Madison like Senators Marklein and Hutton. Due to their inability to govern, they are forcing Wisconsin residents to choose between raising their own taxes or watching their children’s school close. Thankfully, we won’t be made to watch this depressing scene much longer as Senate Democrats are going to win a majority next year and deliver lower property taxes, lower costs, and stronger schools across our state.”
Read more on Republican Lawmakers raising our taxes while cutting the resources we rely on:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee saw its largest increase in total property tax levies since 1984, a new study says. Here’s why
- “Total property tax levies increased by 11.3% — nearly eight times the previous year’s increase of 1.45%.”
- “Mark Sommerhauser, policy researcher and communications director for the Wisconsin Policy Forum, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the narrowly passed 2024 referendum to increase property taxes to prevent major budget cuts at Milwaukee Public Schools was a driving factor behind the increase.”
- “The 2024 referendum, which was crafted to allow MPS to gain an additional $140 million for the next school year before ramping up to $252 million annually by the 2027-28 school year, resulted in the city’s school district tThe 2024 referendum, which was crafted to allow MPS to gain an additional $140 million for the next school year before ramping up to $252 million annually by the 2027-28 school year, resulted in the city’s school district tax levy increasing by 29.6%ax levy increasing by 29.6%.”
- “That 29.6% increase marks the largest one-year increase since 2020, which saw a roughly 16% increase after voters approved an $87 million referendum for MPS to help keep up with inflation and hire teachers for music, art, physical education and other specialties.”
- “In 2024, 241 school referendums were held across Wisconsin, with voters approving a record 169 ballot questions, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Over one-third of Wisconsin’s 421 public school districts passed a referendum in 2024, authorizing a record of $4.4 billion in new funding.”
