Rep. Garthwaite votes for $1.48 billion property tax increase

According to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB), Rep. Garthwaite voted to increase property taxes by $1.48 billion over the next biennium. This translates to about a $300 increase on the average homeowner in SW Wisconsin

Despite the fact that homeowners will face declining home values over the next two years, Rep. Garthwaite’s property tax plan calls for increases of 3.1 and 4.5 percent, respectively over the next two years. The following table lays out the tax increase homeowners can expect to face under Rep. Garthwaite’s property tax plan.

Home Value ----- Tax Increase ----- Tax Bill

$175,000 ----------- $318 ----------- $3,138
$200,000 ----------- $366 ----------- $3,603
$225,000 ----------- $410 ----------- $4,068
$250,000 ----------- $459 ----------- $4,532
$275,000 ----------- $506 ----------- $4,997
$300,000 ----------- $549 ----------- $5,460

For more information on this tax increase please see this memo from the LFB.

In addition to these increases, Rep. Garthwaite’s budget also calls for the elimination of the Qualified Economic Offer or QEO. The QEO is one of the best tools the state has to keep property taxes for school districts in check. According to the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB), repealing the QEO, “will compel boards to rely more heavily on referendums to pay for maintenance, technology and other critical costs that can no longer be afforded.” The long term affect of the QEO repeal will be more referendums and significant increases in property taxes.

When an amendment to maintain the QEO was introduced on the floor of the Assembly during the budget debate Rep. Garthwaite voted against the amendment, which failed 51-47.

For more information on the repeal of the QEO, please see this column from WASB or this editorial from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.