Title
From the County Treasurer, a report requesting County Board support in opposing AB135 that would have a highly detrimental impact on county governments.
Body
A RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, AB135 would finance costly tax breaks for non-payment of taxes by increasing taxes on people who pay their taxes on time; escalate in the number and amount of delinquent property taxes; require costly computer program changes; and reduce county delinquent tax penalties while leaving similar state delinquent tax penalties intact; and
WHEREAS, AB135 would have a highly detrimental impact on county governments; and
WHEREAS, existing deadlines and penalties for nonpayment of property taxes are only put in place to enforce the timely payment of property taxes as required by law to ensure funding is available to provide police and fire protection, paramedics, jails, courts, and other services that are vital to the daily lives of all local residents; and
WHEREAS, the reduction in the deterrent for non-payment will result in an increase in the amount of property tax delinquencies in future years. AB 135 will have a detrimental impact on local governments - which depend the prompt payment of property taxes; and;
WHEREAS, AB135 uses the term “interest rate reduction,” which is a misnomer. AB135 is really a reduction in the penalty for the non-payment of property taxes - resulting in multi-million dollar tax breaks for banks, mortgage companies, and absentee landlords; and
WHEREAS, AB135 would impose unreasonable financial losses on counties, which act as the delinquent property tax collection agent for local municipalities. In Milwaukee County alone, last year the amount of delinquent property taxes, including those of the City of Milwaukee, amounted to $61.9 million. In the State of Wisconsin, delinquent taxes already amount to a total of approximately $300 million. Lessening the consequences for non-payment of property taxes, as proposed in AB135, will result in actual and im...
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