Bogus "Property Tax Relief"

Perhaps some Wisconsin homeowners (as distinguished from the larger group of property owners) will see some small reduction in their property taxes over the next four years, but most should not count on it. And the "relief" will be no where near the $680 Governor Walker claims in his newsletter.

From the Green Bay Press Gazette:

"Projections say that Gov. Scott Walker’s property tax relief bill will save the average person about $13 in 2013-14 school taxes. But it won’t change the size of tax bills in a number of districts across Northeastern Wisconsin and elsewhere in the state, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau." [greenbaypostgazette.com, Nov. 2, 2013]

From the Cap Times:

"[T]he owner of a $150,000 house on Madison’s east side stands to see a savings of about $17 on the December tax bill....

[W]hile the measure has been touted by both Republicans and Democrats as delivering tax relief to beleaguered Wisconsin homeowners, the big winners in actual dollar terms are the owners of large office complexes, apartment buildings and shopping malls." [Cap Times, Oct. 18, 2013]

Rep. Janet Bewley writes that not only will most homeowners see a tiny reduction in their tax bills from this recent so-called tax cut (that's if they see any reduction at all) but property taxes all over the state are actually rising from Walker's policies:

"And the little relief the law provides isn’t even being spread around evenly or fairly. The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance reports that property taxpayers in 82 school districts will see little or no benefit under the Republican plan. For example, taxpayers in the Mercer School District will get a tax cut of $1. That’s not a dollar each — that’s one dollar divided among all the property taxpayers in the district, far short of the mere $13 the average homeowner was told to expect this year. And even if people get some relief under this bill, the average person’s property taxes will still rise in both 2013 and 2014.

The Republicans raised property taxes to give tax breaks to unaccountable private voucher schools. They refused federal health care resources that would have saved Wisconsinites money and provided coverage for more people. It is time to put common-sense solutions before partisanship.

The Legislature can do better. Wisconsin families deserve better." [Cap Times, Oct. 26, 2013]


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