Just Moved To Wi From Co - What's Up With The High Property Taxes? (Milwaukee: sales, homes)

[Packer Fan]

Originally Posted by drobi1070

Just moved here from Colorado (Suburb southwest of Denver) and trying to get acclamated to Wisconsin. I have to say, now that I see property taxes are ridiculously high, we don't plan on buying property anytime soon. People continue to tell me taxes are high due to Madison having good schools. Our property taxes in Colorado were only $1900 annually and we lived in a nice area that offered an excellent school district. So why are the property taxes so flippin high, really? I'm not seeing any justification for Wisconsin to have the highest property taxes in the nation. Not getting it.

In addition, I can't believe people are asking mid $200,000's for a house that's not even 1500 sqft on a small lot. It's no wonder, houses are staying on the market here for close to a year. Because people are overpaying for the house to begin with. Very strange. It's pretty much a buyers market across the nation, but I find it hard to believe people are asking so much for a dinky little house.

The schools may be good, but schools are good in other places of the US. I was born in Wisconsin and lived there for 40+ years. The teachers union has a strangle hold on the tax payers. For example... one school disctrict I was in had parent teacher conferences... from 3 - 5 PM (!!). I asked how us working parents were supposed to get to the meetings. I was told that it was in the contract for the teachers to meet from 3 - 5 PM.

I was in another school district where the teachers were commited to the students and parents (Waukesha) and stayed at the school to well past 9PM (!!!) to make sure that every parent had a chance to meet.

Government within Wisconsin is bloted. They try to handle everything, when they need to be reeled in. Too many special interests within Madison get waaay too much money. Until that gets delt with, Wisconsin will be beautiful, but very expensive to live in.

[amax41]

Originally Posted by ChairborneRanger

On the other hand, while not born in this state (I'm originally from Michigan), both my family and I have found the people of Wisconsin to be very friendly-----we have always been treated wonderfully.

well...all I can say is that is wonderful...for now...I was told when I move there - be careful of who your friends are - they are not - because you'll come home some day and find them in bed with your spouse.

They were almost right - we have had a lot of "friends" they all eventually were left alone because they either wanted hand outs or sex...yes they had the nerve to hit on both of us (individually).

[Drover]

And as everyone knows, adultery and mooching only happens in Wisconsin.

[amax41]

and an aweful lot (consider the status nationally) of drinking

[Stone1]

I have to disagree with MRKOOL on one issue that most people don't know about. The retirement system is not a big burdon on the tax payers as some think. The reason it does well is that it has been managed and invested well and is making great gains. The state requires the employee pay 50% of the amount paid in however some emplyers will pay this portion for the employee but the employees may be paid lower wages as a result.

The benefits are also behind other states and are capped at 65% or 70% far behind some other states.

It is a decent retirement system but it is not fully funded by tax payers as many are led to believe.

I do have to agree that no matter how you look at it the taxes are bad here and keep in mind that WI sees one of the smallest returns in federal tax dollars returning to the state compared to what is paid in to the Feds. We pay our fair share and it goes to other states.

[tet tea]

I will give WI its due when it comes to its Veterans. They don't tax their retirement ... which believe me is a blessing since it isn't much to begin with, however it's better than a kick in the pants!

[Wi_Girl]

No matter where yo live there is going to be SOMETHING negative. WI has high property taxes no doubt about it. But we live in VA now (I'm from WI) and I'd go back in a heart beat. My property taxes are fairly reasonable here, although everyone else complains they are high, but the real estate market is outrageous! You think WI houses are priced high? Come check out VA. We also have a property tax that costs me $350 every six months just so I can own my two cars and a camper. And that is including tax relief on that which everyone gets. Also, I have to pay a food tax every time I go to the grocery store. My job doesnt pay nearly what I need to attempt to even get ahead here. And the schools here are TERRIBLE, GHETTO is everywhere, Crime is bad, and this is no place to raise a family. I'd go back to WI in a heart beat. So I think it really depends on where you were born and raised and what you are used to. We'll be back there in 3 years, just trying to finish our degrees first and our company is paying for it.

[Superocean]

What would an averge property tax be on a $175,000 house in La Crosse? Wisconsin certainly does not encourage retired people to move there.
VAL

[momandnurse]

Wow--what posts! I was born and raised in Wisconsin...I love it here, however, the taxes are way over the top and on the rise with our present Governer!
I guess the state feels we need to pay a lot to live in beauty, I don't know. Look at the schools and see where the tax dollars go. Some of the higher ups in the schools make unbelievable amounts of money and benefits, and who is paying for the but the taxpayer! They have retirements that most of us can only dream of! If you want to have wonderful insurance and a wonderful retirement you may want to look into teaching as a career, because despite what they say, they really have it nice.

[regrets]

Hey you are absoluetly right. I live in Dekorra and we just had our property assessments redone. Our assessments went up 58%. Can you believe that in a year when housing market is falling. We are crazy here. Land is at a prime here and close to the same cost as land in wine country CA. My house went up 109,000 in a year for doing NOTHING. This town, Poynette is our school district, they want a new school and the fire dept wants a new fire station all to be paid for on top of our property taxes and the bill goes by per 100,000. If they pass it is like $756.00 for 20 years on top of my tax bill and we are soooooo crazy that in todays market the Poynette town board also has agreed to reimburse a developer $700,000-800,000 to build a 3 story condo and shopping center because this realtor is sure he can sell condo's & buisness in todays market. Who wouldn't build if you could get the towns people to fork out 3/4 of a million bucks for one persons profit. But this "good ole boy" also made his living for the last 15 years running his profitable business thru the school at tax payers expense and had the little boys raise in the town money for his own personal gain. All illegal I believe and the school backs him up. A private for profit business can not take donations that little boys raise or have fund raisers, but you can in Poynette.