MADISON—Statewide net property taxes rose 4.8% to $6.89 billion in 2002-03, according to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance’s (WISTAX) annual look at property tax trends. This percentage increase was the lowest since 1999-2000, when net levies rose 3.9%.

The new WISTAX study "Comparing Property Taxes, 2002-03" details statewide trends in property taxes and includes figures for all Wisconsin municipalities. WISTAX is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to public-policy research and citizen education.

Among local governments levying the property tax, the technical college levy increased the most (5.9%), followed by county (5.0%), municipal (4.8%) and school district (3.9%) levies.

In the five years from 1997-98 to 2002-03, technical college levies rose an average of 7.9% annually. This exceeded the increase in state (7.5%), county (6.4%), municipal (5.9%) and school district (4.3%) levies.

In 2002-03, Wisconsin cities, villages and towns levied an estimated $1.80 billion in property taxes. This represented 24.4% of the total gross levies of $7.36 billion, and was second only to the $3.19 billion levied (43.3%) for schools. Other taxing jurisdictions and their shares of the total included: counties (20.2%); technical colleges (7.4%); special districts (3.8%); and the state (0.9%). The state levies a tax of 20¢ per $1,000 of equalized value to acquire and develop forests.

The average statewide net property tax rate for 2002-03 was $20.56 per $1,000 of equalized value, down 2.3% from $21.04 in 2001-02, WISTAX said. The rate has fallen each year since 1992-93, due largely to rising property values. Property values across the state increased 7.3% over 2000-01, reaching $335.3 billion. Equalized property values in cities rose 6.8%, compared to 7.8% in villages and towns.

The total net property tax rate includes school, municipal, county, technical college, state forestry, special district and tax incremental financing district levies. The net rate is computed by adding all the amounts levied by each taxation district, subtracting the state property tax credit and dividing by the equalized, or full market, value of property.

Estimated net levies for all purposes (after subtracting state credits) went up 4.2% in cities last year, reaching $3.68 billion. Total net tax rates declined 2.5% in cities, from $23.84 per $1,000 of equalized value last year to $23.26. The average city-purpose rate was $8.04, down 2.4% from $8.24.

Among the 190 cities in the state, Marion in Waupaca and Shawano counties had the highest percentage increase in net levies (23.9%). Its property values increased 15.3%, to $58.8 million, while the city levy rose 34.1%, to $454,901. Its net tax rate rose 7.5%, the eighth-highest increase among all cities, according to WISTAX. Buffalo City in Buffalo county had the second-highest net levy increase (17.5%) among cities and 14th-highest percentage rise in equalized value (13.2%). The city’s net tax rate rose 3.8%, the 22nd-highest increase in the group. Loyal in Clark county had the third-highest increase in net levies among all cities (16.7%), followed by Crandon (13.9%) and Columbus (13.5%).

Statewide, total net levies in villages rose 5.8% last year, reaching $1.01 billion. The average net property tax rate for all villages was $21.30 per $1,000 of equalized value, down 1.8%. The average village-purpose rate was $5.92, down 1.4%.

The fast-growing village of Baldwin in St. Croix county had the greatest increases in net levies (19.6%) and property values (22.3%) of the 74 villages above 2,000 population in 2002. Its property values rose from $162.2 million to $198.3 million. The village’s net tax rate fell 2.2%, to $21.97. West Salem in La Crosse county had the second-highest rise in both net levies (19.2%) and net tax rate (10.9%). School taxes in the village rose 32.8%, to $2.3 million. The increase in school taxes largely reflects costs associated with a $15.1-million referendum for a high school addition and renovation project approved in February 2002. The village of Marshall in Dane county had the third-highest increase in net levies (18.9%) and the highest rise in net tax rate (16.4%) in the group.

Of the 61 towns above 4,000 population, Harrison in Calumet county had the highest percentage increases in net levies (17.3%) and property values (18.0%).