MONROE - Taxpayers in Green County and Lafayette County are faring better than the state average under the new revenue limits imposed on school districts.
Wisconsin school districts asked for $4.65 billion in property taxes to fund the 2011-12 school year. That is 1.0 percent less than last year's levy of $4.69 billion.
Public schools in Green County decreased their total levies by 4.24 percent compared to their total levies last year. The seven school districts are levying $29.9 million, about $1.3 million less than $31.2 million levied for 2010-2011.
In Lafayette County, the schools dropped their total levy 3.5 percent, or $450,000. The seven school districts there will raise an aggregate $12.4 million in taxes for 2011-2012, compared to $12.9 million for the previous school year.
The decline stems largely from state action to reduce by 5.5 percent the revenue limits it imposes on school districts, according to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX), a nonpartisan research organization, in its December report. When the state rolled back state school aid in the 2011-13 budget, it tightened the revenue limit to avoid local tax increase, WISTAX said. State law defines school revenues as the combination of state general aid and local school property taxes.
The state-wide drop is the first since 2005-2006, when levies fell 0.5 percent from the previous year. That year, the state boosted the general aid it pays schools by 6.9 percent, or almost $300 million. With state revenue limits in place, districts could not spend the added funds and had to cut property taxes, according to the WISTAX report.
The current 4-percent drop in Green County is also its first in the same seven-year period. School tax levies went down 0.3 percent for 2005-2006.
The levied amount that year in Lafayette County also dropped, by almost 2 percent; however, the total school levies fell for 2010-2011 as well, by 2.14 percent.
In the five subsequent years since 2005-06, annual school tax increases have averaged about 5.5 percent in the state. In Green County, the tax increases averaged 6.5 percent annually, and in Lafayette County, about 8.83 percent.
Overall, 269 of the Wisconsin's 424 school districts - about five in eight, or 63 percent - either reduced or froze their levies this year compared to 2010-2011. Only 82 school districts did so last year.
In Green and Lafayette counties, the ratios were a little better. Five out of seven schools in Green County, or 71 percent, reduced or held their levies, and in Lafayette County, six out of seven, or 86 percent, managed the same feat.
Despite school taxes dropping 1 percent statewide this year, changes by district varied widely.
For the 2011-2012 school year in Green County, Juda School had the greatest percentage decrease, 11.7 percent, representing $149,000 less in the tax levy.
The Monroe school district brought its levy amount down by 9.7 percent, for $1.2 million less in taxes.
The school levy for Albany came in at 2.83 percent less, and for Monticello at 2.3 percent less, for reductions of $75,000 and $52,000, respectively.
The Brodhead school levy was reduced less than 1 percent. The amount was 0.63 percent lower, or $22,700, than the previous year.
Levy amounts increased in New Glarus by 1.4 percent, or $65,000, and in Belleville by 2.3 percent, or $99,000.
In Lafayette County, the Darlington school district dropped its levy the most - 6.6 percent or $223,000.
Black Hawk school district asked its taxpayers for $90,600 less, or 5.9 percent.
The Pecatonica school district dropped its 2011-2012 levy by 5.48 percent, cutting $149,000 off the previous year.
Benton and Shullsburg levies dropped the least. Benton's levy dropped 1.75 percent, while Shullsburg lowered its levy by less than 1 percent (0.07 percent). Benton's levy was $17,200 less, and Shullsburg's was almost $900 less.
Belmont Community School held its levy equal to the previous year.
Argyle School is the only school in Lafayette whose levy rose - up 2.17 percent or $30,400.
Across the state, levies were cut by 5 percent or more in 100 of the 424 districts. The largest levy reductions in the state were in Rio (-24.7 percent), Glenwood City (-22.1 percent), Rubicon J6 (-21.3 percent), Trevor-Wilmot (-20.4 percent), and Rosendale-Brandon (-20.4 percent).
Another 169 districts either froze or reduced their levies by smaller amounts. Only 36 districts hiked their levies by 5 percent or more, compared to 159 last year.
Changes in school levies do not equal the changes in tax rates. Tax rates depend on the school's levy and property value. The amount a school levies depends upon its budget minus any state aid and other revenue. When property values decline more than school levies, the tax rate for school is higher than the previous year's tax rate.
According to WISTAX, the value of all property subject to the school tax this year fell 1.7 percent in Wisconsin, resulting in tax rates up in 217 districts and flat or down in 206.
Individual taxpayers may see larger reductions or even increases due to the effects of individual schools' state aid reductions or referenda activity in the district, as well as fluctuation in their own property values. Energy-efficiency projects exempt from state revenue limits also push levies up.
Editor's note: The levy numbers are taken from data published by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Rep. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) provided some of the calculations for Lafayette County. Copies of the Focus newsletter titled "School taxes fall for first time since 2006" is available at www.wistax.org or by e-mailing wistax@wistax.org; calling 608.241.9789; or writing WISTAX at 401 North Lawn Ave., Madison, WI 53704-5033.
Wisconsin school districts asked for $4.65 billion in property taxes to fund the 2011-12 school year. That is 1.0 percent less than last year's levy of $4.69 billion.
Public schools in Green County decreased their total levies by 4.24 percent compared to their total levies last year. The seven school districts are levying $29.9 million, about $1.3 million less than $31.2 million levied for 2010-2011.
In Lafayette County, the schools dropped their total levy 3.5 percent, or $450,000. The seven school districts there will raise an aggregate $12.4 million in taxes for 2011-2012, compared to $12.9 million for the previous school year.
The decline stems largely from state action to reduce by 5.5 percent the revenue limits it imposes on school districts, according to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX), a nonpartisan research organization, in its December report. When the state rolled back state school aid in the 2011-13 budget, it tightened the revenue limit to avoid local tax increase, WISTAX said. State law defines school revenues as the combination of state general aid and local school property taxes.
The state-wide drop is the first since 2005-2006, when levies fell 0.5 percent from the previous year. That year, the state boosted the general aid it pays schools by 6.9 percent, or almost $300 million. With state revenue limits in place, districts could not spend the added funds and had to cut property taxes, according to the WISTAX report.
The current 4-percent drop in Green County is also its first in the same seven-year period. School tax levies went down 0.3 percent for 2005-2006.
The levied amount that year in Lafayette County also dropped, by almost 2 percent; however, the total school levies fell for 2010-2011 as well, by 2.14 percent.
In the five subsequent years since 2005-06, annual school tax increases have averaged about 5.5 percent in the state. In Green County, the tax increases averaged 6.5 percent annually, and in Lafayette County, about 8.83 percent.
Overall, 269 of the Wisconsin's 424 school districts - about five in eight, or 63 percent - either reduced or froze their levies this year compared to 2010-2011. Only 82 school districts did so last year.
In Green and Lafayette counties, the ratios were a little better. Five out of seven schools in Green County, or 71 percent, reduced or held their levies, and in Lafayette County, six out of seven, or 86 percent, managed the same feat.
Despite school taxes dropping 1 percent statewide this year, changes by district varied widely.
For the 2011-2012 school year in Green County, Juda School had the greatest percentage decrease, 11.7 percent, representing $149,000 less in the tax levy.
The Monroe school district brought its levy amount down by 9.7 percent, for $1.2 million less in taxes.
The school levy for Albany came in at 2.83 percent less, and for Monticello at 2.3 percent less, for reductions of $75,000 and $52,000, respectively.
The Brodhead school levy was reduced less than 1 percent. The amount was 0.63 percent lower, or $22,700, than the previous year.
Levy amounts increased in New Glarus by 1.4 percent, or $65,000, and in Belleville by 2.3 percent, or $99,000.
In Lafayette County, the Darlington school district dropped its levy the most - 6.6 percent or $223,000.
Black Hawk school district asked its taxpayers for $90,600 less, or 5.9 percent.
The Pecatonica school district dropped its 2011-2012 levy by 5.48 percent, cutting $149,000 off the previous year.
Benton and Shullsburg levies dropped the least. Benton's levy dropped 1.75 percent, while Shullsburg lowered its levy by less than 1 percent (0.07 percent). Benton's levy was $17,200 less, and Shullsburg's was almost $900 less.
Belmont Community School held its levy equal to the previous year.
Argyle School is the only school in Lafayette whose levy rose - up 2.17 percent or $30,400.
Across the state, levies were cut by 5 percent or more in 100 of the 424 districts. The largest levy reductions in the state were in Rio (-24.7 percent), Glenwood City (-22.1 percent), Rubicon J6 (-21.3 percent), Trevor-Wilmot (-20.4 percent), and Rosendale-Brandon (-20.4 percent).
Another 169 districts either froze or reduced their levies by smaller amounts. Only 36 districts hiked their levies by 5 percent or more, compared to 159 last year.
Changes in school levies do not equal the changes in tax rates. Tax rates depend on the school's levy and property value. The amount a school levies depends upon its budget minus any state aid and other revenue. When property values decline more than school levies, the tax rate for school is higher than the previous year's tax rate.
According to WISTAX, the value of all property subject to the school tax this year fell 1.7 percent in Wisconsin, resulting in tax rates up in 217 districts and flat or down in 206.
Individual taxpayers may see larger reductions or even increases due to the effects of individual schools' state aid reductions or referenda activity in the district, as well as fluctuation in their own property values. Energy-efficiency projects exempt from state revenue limits also push levies up.
Editor's note: The levy numbers are taken from data published by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Rep. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) provided some of the calculations for Lafayette County. Copies of the Focus newsletter titled "School taxes fall for first time since 2006" is available at www.wistax.org or by e-mailing wistax@wistax.org; calling 608.241.9789; or writing WISTAX at 401 North Lawn Ave., Madison, WI 53704-5033.