An area state representative is blaming a partial veto from Governor Tony Evers for an increase in school property taxes across the state.
For the 2023-2025 state budget, Gov. Evers made a partial veto to increase the state’s per-pupil revenue limit for school districts to $325 a year, according to a report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
3rd District Assemblyman Ron Tusler says that means the average school district-imposed property tax increase in Wisconsin is 7.8% this year, meaning the overall gross statewide property tax levies are expected to increase by 5%.
However, the policy forum explains that while the per-pupil revenue limit contributed, freezing state general school aids also played a factor.
The nonpartisan group explained, “This time, state leaders instead kept the funding for these payments flat, leaving property taxes as the sole means by which school districts collectively could access the allowed $325 per student increase.”
Rep. Tusler finishes by saying that more teachers are also being hired while there are less students coming, meaning districts have less money to work with and that, “Wisconsin is going to have to have a serious conversation about how to set up our education system for success in the future, while still keeping taxes low and attracting people to move here.”
The Wisconsin Policy Forum report also discusses county, tech college, and special district levies.
