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Equalized values go up en masse
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MONROE - Equalized property values around Green County showed some significant greening up during 2013 compared to the past three years.

Equalized values for the county as a whole climbed an average of 2.1 percent, based on data from Jan. 1, 2013, to Jan. 1, 2014, according to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue's annual Equalized Value Report released Aug. 15. The county's total value was up $54.7 million, for a total of $2.7 billion.

Wisconsin's total statewide equalized property value as of Jan. 1 was $479 billion, a 2.6 percent increase compared to the prior year.

Equalized value represents an estimate of a taxation district's total taxable value, and provides for the fair apportionment of school districts and county levies to each municipality. Changes in equalized value do not necessarily translate into a change in property taxes.

Most townships, villages and cities in Green County saw an increase in their equalized values in 2013, a turnaround from decreases or minor increases from at least the previous three years. Only the Town of Brooklyn and the Village of Albany saw a value decrease, both for the second year in a row.

On average, the county gained 1.7 percent in residential property, 1.3 percent in commercial property, and 6.4 percent in manufacturing property. Undeveloped land and agricultural forest land were each up 14.5 percent. Agricultural land was down 2 percent. Other property, which includes farm sites and farm buildings, was up 3.8 percent.

Green County's $54.7 million gain in value comes from increases of $29 million in residential, $4 million in commercial, $5 million manufacturing and $10.5 million in farm sites and farm buildings. Most of the real estate value increases, about 82 percent, was from improvements to the land. Undeveloped land and agriculture forest land added a total of $5.7 million, while agricultural land lost $1.1 million in value. Personal property values increased $1 million.

New construction in the county at $25.9 million made up about 47 percent of the total real estate value increase. Economic changes made up about 45 percent, or $24.7 million. Other changes totaled about $3 million, for the remaining increase.

Economic changes include changes due to market conditions, based on analysis of sales. Other changes include adjustments (corrections), the field review of property, demolition or destruction of buildings or other improvements, changes in exempt status of property, changes in classification of property, annexation gains or losses, and other miscellaneous changes.

Residential values saw $10.3 million in new construction. Commercial values had $6.1 million in construction, but lost $3 million to economic changes. Manufacturing values saw a minute, 0.4 percent, increase in land values; its increased value came from $6 million of new construction and a million dollars in losses through economic and other changes.



County value

breakdown

The county's equalized value increase came mostly from its 16 townships, whose sum value increased by $31.9 million, up 2.2 percent more than the previous year. Cities Brodhead and Monroe rolled in $17.5 million or 2.2 percent more, and the villages, added $5.2 million or 1.6 percent more.

Townships carried the lion's share of the $1 million loss in agricultural lands, but also are responsible for the additional $10.5 million in farm sites and buildings, as well as $5.9 million in undeveloped and forestry lands.

In residential values, cities added $17 million, villages added $2.1 million and towns added $9.8 million.

Commercial values gained the most in the cities, $3.4 million. Villages added only $121,000, and towns added $512,000.

Manufacturers favored the townships and villages in 2013. Towns' manufacturing values increased $4.2 million, while values in the villages increased $2.5 million - most all in new construction.

The cities lost $1.7 million in total manufacturing value. New construction added only $219,000, while economic changes wiped out more than half that, and $1.8 million losses in other changes drove the cities' sum manufacturing equalized value down 3 percent compared to 2012 values.

The cities also lost personal property value, $1.2 million, down 2.6 percent, and mostly in furniture, fixtures and equipment, which alone was down 8.9 percent. Towns were up in personal property value, about $2 million total. Villages added just $303,000.

The county's total real estate equalized value now stands at $2.6 billion, with $1.8 billion in residential property, $313 million in commercial, $83.9 million in manufacturing, and $287.7 million in farm sites and buildings. Agricultural, forests and undeveloped land make up $115 million.



Towns

Ten of Green County's 16 towns saw total equalized value increases of more than 2 percent in 2013.

Six out of the seven towns that saw losses in 2012 gained value in 2013.

Brooklyn was the only town in Green County that lost value in 2013, another 7.3 percent after a 5.3 percent decrease in 2012. Brooklyn lost $7.6 million and ended at $104.4 million in total equalized value. Brooklyn's largest losses were in residential values, $2 million in land and $6.8 million in homes and other structures, a drop of 11 percent compared to 2012.

Just south of Brooklyn, the Town of Albany saw the biggest percentage increase among towns in the county, 8.3 percent, and the largest value increase, $8.2 million, to end the year at $98 million in equalized value. Albany had lost $1.4 million in 2012. Albany's greatest gains were in its residential property. A 12 percent gain represents an additional $1.7 million in land value and $7.4 million in structures.

The second largest increase was in the Town of Jordan, with a 6.7 percent increase, and $4.2 million in added value. Jordan had a 7.5 percent, and $4 million, increase in 2012. The Town's total value is now $62.9 million. Jordan saw $2.8 million in added manufacturing improvements and about 878,000 in added personal property.

The Towns of York and Washington had 2.9 and 3.8 percent, and about $2.5 million, increases in 2012. In 2013, both towns managed another increase of about 4.1 percent. York gained $3.7 million and settled at $89.4 million in total value. Its increases came on undeveloped land, $1.4 million, and agricultural forest, $2.5 million.

Washington gained $3.1 million and ended the year at $76.2 million. Most of Washington's increase was split between residential, $1.5 million, and farms, $1.4 million.

Clarno also gained about $3.3 million, representing an additional 3.8 percent increase. Its value stood at $87.1 million at the end of 2013. Clarno had lost $645,000 in value in 2012.

Cadiz gained 3 percent, or $1.9 million, which was not enough to offset the $2.5 million loss in 2012. Its equalized value is value is $63.5 million.

Jefferson also gained value in 2013, though not as much as it lost in 2012. The Town gained 1.5 percent, or $1.23 million, to end at $81.7 million. More than half of the gain was in farm improvements. The town lost $1.28 million in 2012.

The Town of New Glarus gained 2.3 percent, or $3.2 million, ending the year at $140.3 million. Most of the increase was gained in residential property. The Town lost almost $5 million in 2012.

Sylvester did, however, make up for its 2012 loss with a 1.6 percent, or $1.6 million, gain to end the year at $99.3 million. Half the gain was in residential property and the other half was mostly in manufacturing improvements. Farms netted a gain of $215,000, but personal property drew down $390,000. The town lost $1.3 million in 2012.



Cities and Villages

Most of Green County's eight cities and villages made a comeback in equalized values in 2013. The Village of Albany and Belleville had net losses, mostly from lower commercial and residential values.

Albany slowed its value leak to 1.6 percent, following a 5.7 percent loss in 2012. The village lost $800,000 to end at $49.6 million.

Belleville lost 0.9 percent in value this year, after a 2.2 percent gain in 2012. The village lost $294,000 to end at $32.9 million in 2013.

Losing last year but gaining this year were the villages of Brooklyn, Brodhead, New Glarus and Monticello.

Monticello gained 5.1 percent, or $3.3 million, in added value, ending the year at $68.7 million. About $2.1 million came from increased residential values, and $1.2 million from increased commercial value. The village lost $1.2 million in 2012.

New Glarus gained $2.3 million, or 1.5 percent in value. It stands at $155.4 million in total value. New Glarus had $2.4 million in increased manufacturing value. Its $630,000 loss in commercial values offset the personal property value gain of $420,000 and the smaller, $112,000 gain in residential structure and $8,900 gain in forestry lands.

The City of Brodhead's gain was marginal, 0.14 percent, or $212,000. Its value is at $154 million. The city lost $2.7 million in 2012. Brodhead residential values went up $2.3 million, but the city lost $79,000 of commercial value and $1.9 million in manufacturing.

The Village of Brooklyn gained $459,000 or 1.9 percent, to end at $24.5 million. Its loss was $1.2 million in 2012.

In the southwest corner, Browntown and Monroe in 2012 had small gains in values, about 1 percent, after small losses in 2011, also about 1 percent. This year they both broke 2 percent for gains.

Browntown garnered $264,000, or 2.3 percent, to end the 2013 year at $11.6 million.

The City of Monroe added $17.3 million, or 2.7 percent, and ended the year with a value of $659.3 million. Monroe lost $1 million in personal property value, but gained $14.8 million in residential value - mostly in structures, and $3.4 million in commercial value, mostly in structures.