The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance reports that total property tax levies in Wisconsin rose 0.8% to $10.47 billion in 2012-13. Combined with last year’s 0.2% increase, it was the first time since at least 1946 that levies rose less than 1% in consecutive years, according to the WISTAX release.
The increase was due to state-imposed property tax limits over the past two years, when municipal property taxes were allowed to increase at the greater rate of net new construction, or 0%.
Municipal levies rose 1.5% to $2.5 billion, which was the smallest increase in 30 years. Of the state’s 30 largest communities, Racine saw the largest levy growth (5.9%), followed by Mount Pleasant (5.7%), Madison (3.6%), Greenfield (2.7%), and Superior (2.7%). Levies fell slightly in Appleton and Neenah.
