1998-99
Adjusted Base 1999-00 2000-01
$10,101,063,400 $10,553,830,600 $11,042,911,200
Annual Increase
Amount $452,767,200 $489,080,600
Percent 4.5% 4.6%
Change Over
1998-99 Base Base Year Doubled
Year Doubled 1999-01 Amount %
$20,202,126,800 $21,596,741,800 $1,394,615,000 6.9%
GENERAL FUND TAXES
1. GENERAL FUND TAX CHANGES
Governor: The following table outlines the general fund tax changes recommended by the Governor, along with the estimated fiscal effect in each year of the 1999-01 biennium. The items relating to the integrated tax system, nexus investigations and temporary events are summarized under "Revenue -- Tax Administration." [It should be noted that the fiscal effect of decreasing the utility tax rate on car line companies was not included in the tax revenue estimates that appear in the bill.]
1999-01 General Fund Tax Changes
(In Millions)
1999-01
1999-00 2000-01 Biennium
Individual Income
Income Tax Modifications $0.00 -$289.00 -$289.00
Corporate Income and Franchise
Single Sales Factor Apportionment -24.60 -50.00 -74.60
Combined Reporting 23.10 47.00 70.10
Nexus Investigations 0.10 0.21 0.31
General Sales and Use
Integrated Tax System 0.00 4.78 4.78
Timeshare Property 1.20 1.44 2.64
Late Filing Fee 1.13 1.40 2.53
Nexus Investigations 0.00 1.00 1.00
Temporary Events 0.35 0.69 1.04
Public Utility
Car Line Companies -0.10 -0.20 -0.30
Extend Current Computer Exemption -0.05 -0.10 -0.15
Expand Computer Exemption -0.03 -0.05 -0.08
Total Change $1.10 -$282.83 -$281.73
Individual and Corporate Income Taxes
1. INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX MODIFICATIONS
GPR-REV - $289,000,000
Governor: Modify the individual income tax structure by federalizing the treatment of social security benefits, increasing the sliding scale standard deduction, creating personal exemptions, creating a fourth income tax bracket, reducing the income tax rates, eliminating miscellaneous deductions from the itemized deduction credit, increasing the married couple credit, eliminating certain income tax credits and making withholding table adjustments. The administration estimates that these modifications would reduce individual income tax revenue by $289,000,000 in 2000-01. On a tax year basis, the Governor's proposal would reduce income tax revenues by $168 million in 2000 and $269 million in 2001. The $289 million estimate for 2000-01 also includes $121 million from the proposed withholding table adjustment on July 1, 2000, as described later in this summary.
The administration did not provide a fiscal estimate of each income tax modification on an individual basis because of the interaction of the different provisions. For example, the estimated cost of eliminating the working families credit would be greatly offset due to the proposed increase in the standard deduction, the creation of the personal exemptions and the lower income tax rates.
A. Social Security Benefits. Federalize the treatment of social security benefits beginning with tax year 2000. Under federal law, no social security benefits are taxable for taxpayers with provisional income below $25,000 if single and $32,000 if married filing a joint return. Provisional income is defined as one-half of social security plus federal adjusted gross income (AGI), tax-exempt interest and other specified amounts that are excluded from gross income. Up to 50% of social security benefits are taxable if provisional income exceeds these base amounts and is below $34,000 if single and $44,000 if married-joint. For taxpayers with provisional income above the higher thresholds, up to 85% of benefits are taxable. Married taxpayers who file separate returns pay taxes on up to 85% of social security benefits.
Under current state law, up to 50% of social security benefits are taxable for taxpayers with provisional income above $25,000 if single, $32,000 if married-joint and zero if married-separate. No benefits are taxed for taxpayers with income below these amounts.
Under the Governor's recommendation, up to 85% of social security would be taxed by the state for taxpayers with income above $34,000 if single and $44,000 if married-joint and for all married-separate taxpayers. Taxpayers with income below these amounts would not be impacted by the modification.
B. Sliding Scale Standard Deduction. Increase the sliding scale standard deduction beginning with tax year 2000 by increasing the maximum standard deduction and the AGI amounts over which the credit is phased out. The estimated current law standard deduction formulas for tax year 2000 and the formulas under the Governor's proposal for 2000 are shown below. The estimated formulas under current law reflect two years of indexing over the 1998 amounts. The standard deduction would continue to be indexed for changes in inflation for tax years 2001 and thereafter under both current law and under the Governor's proposal.
Estimated Current Law Standard Deduction
Tax Year 2000
Filing Status Wisconsin AGI Standard Deduction
Single Less than $7,790 $5,400
$7,790 to $52,790 $5,400 – 12%(WAGI-$7,790)
Greater than $52,790 $0
Married, Less than $10,380 $9,240
Joint $10,380 to $57,099 $9,240 – 19.778%(WAGI-$10,380)
Greater than $57,099 $0
Married, Less than $4,940 $4,390
Separate $4,940 to $27,136 $4,390 – 19.778%(WAGI-$4,940)
Greater than $27,136 $0
Head-of- Less than $7,790 $7,310
Household $7,790 to $25,955 $7,310 – 22.515%(WAGI-$7,790)
Greater than $25,955 Single Standard Deduction
Governor’s Proposed Standard Deduction
Tax Year 2000
Filing Status Wisconsin AGI Standard Deduction
Single Less than $10,380 $7,200
