ARGYLE - Apparently, taxpayers can fight city hall, or in this case, town hall.
Residents at the Chalet Campground near Argyle were surprised to learn earlier this year the Town of Argyle would be including the decks next to their motor homes in their property tax assessments. But, those assessments for mobile home decks were changed earlier this month after residents raised the issue with Argyle township officials.
However, the underlying problem of what should be considered property, and how much it can be taxed, hasn't gone away.
Don Ertz owns a motor home in the park. Ertz said he and other owners weren't aware that the decks would be considered part of a property tax. The decks aren't attached to the motor homes and most of them, like his, aren't worth much.
"I paid $300 for my deck three years ago, and it was assessed at $1,900," he said.
Ertz said 42 mobile home owners attended the June 5 open book meeting for the township, and they were told the assessments wouldn't be put into effect this year.
"They changed the assessments," Ertz said. "We were pretty happy about that."
Wayne Damrow, the township's assessor, didn't return calls to The Monroe Times.
Village President Lyle Fischer said the tax assessment was in line with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue guidelines.
Fischer said the township was doing a property value assessment and learned from Damrow that decks could be added to the assessments.
According to "Property Tax Guide for Wisconsin Mobile Home Owners," some mobile homes and camping trailers are exempt from the personal property taxes. Camping trailers, according to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, are exempt if they are collapsible or folding. A mobile home deck is exempt from property tax if the "steps or platform" doesn't exceed 50 square feet.
Ertz's deck is 360 square feet.
Fischer said the state law required the decks to be taxed. He said the sizes of the decks meant they fell under the state guidelines.
"We told (Damrow) to follow the state guidelines," he said.
Fischer said the decks are an improvement to the mobile homes and should be considered part of the property tax assessment.
"Most people aren't sitting inside their mobile homes all day," he said. "They sit on their decks."
He also disputed Ertz's statement that his deck is three years old and not worth the amount it was assessed at.
"Property goes up in value," Fischer said. "My house is over 100 years old and it still appreciates in value."
The township is required to assess property every year, which means the issue could come up again next year.
Residents at the Chalet Campground near Argyle were surprised to learn earlier this year the Town of Argyle would be including the decks next to their motor homes in their property tax assessments. But, those assessments for mobile home decks were changed earlier this month after residents raised the issue with Argyle township officials.
However, the underlying problem of what should be considered property, and how much it can be taxed, hasn't gone away.
Don Ertz owns a motor home in the park. Ertz said he and other owners weren't aware that the decks would be considered part of a property tax. The decks aren't attached to the motor homes and most of them, like his, aren't worth much.
"I paid $300 for my deck three years ago, and it was assessed at $1,900," he said.
Ertz said 42 mobile home owners attended the June 5 open book meeting for the township, and they were told the assessments wouldn't be put into effect this year.
"They changed the assessments," Ertz said. "We were pretty happy about that."
Wayne Damrow, the township's assessor, didn't return calls to The Monroe Times.
Village President Lyle Fischer said the tax assessment was in line with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue guidelines.
Fischer said the township was doing a property value assessment and learned from Damrow that decks could be added to the assessments.
According to "Property Tax Guide for Wisconsin Mobile Home Owners," some mobile homes and camping trailers are exempt from the personal property taxes. Camping trailers, according to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, are exempt if they are collapsible or folding. A mobile home deck is exempt from property tax if the "steps or platform" doesn't exceed 50 square feet.
Ertz's deck is 360 square feet.
Fischer said the state law required the decks to be taxed. He said the sizes of the decks meant they fell under the state guidelines.
"We told (Damrow) to follow the state guidelines," he said.
Fischer said the decks are an improvement to the mobile homes and should be considered part of the property tax assessment.
"Most people aren't sitting inside their mobile homes all day," he said. "They sit on their decks."
He also disputed Ertz's statement that his deck is three years old and not worth the amount it was assessed at.
"Property goes up in value," Fischer said. "My house is over 100 years old and it still appreciates in value."
The township is required to assess property every year, which means the issue could come up again next year.