1997 Wisconsin Act 27

27,2355 Section 2355 . 73.01 (5) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 1995 Wisconsin Act 351, section 12, and 1997 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is repealed and recreated to read:

73.01 (5) (a) Any person who is aggrieved by a determination of the state board of assessors under s. 70.995 (8) or by the department of revenue under s. 70.11 (21) or who has filed a petition for redetermination with the department of revenue and who is aggrieved by the redetermination of the department may, within 60 days of the determination of the state board of assessors or of the department or, in all other cases, within 60 days after the redetermination but not thereafter, file with the clerk of the commission a petition for review of the action of the department and the number of copies of the petition required by rule adopted by the commission. If a municipality appeals, its appeal shall set forth that the appeal has been authorized by an order or resolution of its governing body and the appeal shall be verified by a member of that governing body as pleadings in courts of record are verified. The clerk of the commission shall transmit one copy to the department of revenue and to each party. In the case of appeals from manufacturing property assessments, the person assessed shall be a party to a proceeding initiated by a municipality. At the time of filing the petition, the petitioner shall pay to the commission a $25 filing fee. The commission shall deposit the fee in the general fund. Within 30 days after such transmission the department, except for petitions objecting to manufacturing property assessments, shall file with the clerk of the commission an original and the number of copies of an answer to the petition required by rule adopted by the commission and shall serve one copy on the petitioner or the petitioner's attorney or agent. Within 30 days after service of the answer, the petitioner may file and serve a reply in the same manner as the petition is filed. Any person entitled to be heard by the commission under s. 76.38 (12) (a), 1993 stats., or s. 76.39 (4) (c), 76.48 or 76.91 may file a petition with the commission within the time and in the manner provided for the filing of petitions in income or franchise tax cases. Such papers may be served as a circuit court summons is served or by certified mail. For the purposes of this subsection, a petition for review is considered timely filed if mailed by certified mail in a properly addressed envelope, with postage duly prepaid, which envelope is postmarked before midnight of the last day for filing.

27,2355g Section 2355g. 73.029 of the statutes is created to read:

73.029 Rules required. The department of revenue may require electronic funds transfer only by promulgating rules.

27,2355m Section 2355m. 73.03 (2a) of the statutes is amended to read:

73.03 (2a) To prepare, have published and distribute to each county having a county property tax assessor system under s. 70.99 and to each town, city and village in the state for the use of assessors, assessment personnel and the public detailed and to others who so request assessment manuals, except that if an assessor is hired by more than one county, town, city or village the department shall provide that assessor with only one cost component of the manual rather than providing the cost component of the manual to each county, town, city or village that hires that assessor manuals . The manual shall be produced on CD-ROM if the department of revenue determines that there is sufficient demand for that format. The manual shall discuss and illustrate accepted assessment methods, techniques and practices with a view to more nearly uniform and more consistent assessments of property at the local level. The manual shall be amended by the department from time to time to reflect advances in the science of assessment, court decisions concerning assessment practices, costs, and statistical and other information deemed valuable to local assessors by the department. The manual shall incorporate standards for the assessment of all types of renewable energy resource systems used in this state as soon as such systems are used in sufficient numbers and sufficient data exists to allow the formulation of valid guidelines. The manual shall incorporate standards, which the department of revenue and the state historical society of Wisconsin shall develop, for the assessment of nonhistoric property in historic districts and for the assessment of historic property, including but not limited to property that is being preserved or restored; property that is subject to a protective easement, covenant or other restriction for historic preservation purposes; property that is listed in the national register of historic places in Wisconsin or in this state's register of historic places and property that is designated as a historic landmark and is subject to restrictions imposed by a municipality or by a landmarks commission. The manual shall incorporate general guidelines about ways to determine whether property is taxable in part under s. 70.11 (8) and examples of the ways that s. 70.11 (8) applies in specific situations. The manual shall state that assessors are required to comply with s. 70.32 (1g) and shall suggest procedures for doing so. The manual or a supplement to it shall specify per acre value guidelines for each municipality for various categories of agricultural land based on the income that could be generated from its estimated rental for agricultural use, as defined by rule, and capitalization rates established by rule. The manual shall include guidelines for classifying land as agricultural land, as defined in s. 70.32 (2) (c) 1. and guidelines for distinguishing between land and improvements to land. The cost of the development, preparation, publication and distribution of the manual and of revisions and amendments to it shall be borne by the assessment districts assessors and requesters at an individual volume cost or a subscription cost as determined by the department. All receipts shall be credited to the appropriation under s. 20.566 (2) (hi). The department shall, on the 4th Monday in August, certify past-due accounts and include them in the next apportionment of state special charges to counties and municipalities under s. 70.60. If the department provides an assessment manual to an assessor who is hired by more than one unit of government, those units of government shall each pay an equal share of the cost of that manual. The department may provide free assessment manuals to other state agencies or exchange them at no cost with agencies of other states or of the federal government for similar information or publications.

27,2357 Section 2357 . 73.03 (30) of the statutes is amended to read:

73.03 (30) To analyze the data provided under sub. (29), after consultation with the department of education public instruction and the legislative fiscal bureau, and to notify the presiding officers of the houses of the legislature and the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance of the results of the analysis.

27,2358 Section 2358 . 73.03 (35) of the statutes is amended to read:

73.03 (35) To deny a portion of a credit claimed under s. 71.07 (2dd), (2de), (2di), (2dj), (2dL), (2dr) or , (2ds) or (2dx), 71.28 (1dd), (1de), (1di), (1dj), (1dL), (1ds), (1dx) or (4) (am) or 71.47 (1dd), (1de), (1di), (1dj), (1dL), (1ds), (1dx) or (4) (am) if granting the full amount claimed would violate the requirement under s. 560.75 (9) or 560.797 (4) (e) or would bring the total of the credits granted to that claimant under s. 560.75 (9) or 560.797 (4) (e), or the total of the credits granted to that claimant under all of those subsections, over the limit for that claimant under s. 560.768, 560.795 (2) (b) or 560.797 (5) (b).

27,2359 Section 2359 . 73.03 (46) of the statutes is amended to read:

73.03 (46) In each school year, to determine and certify to the secretary of education state superintendent of public instruction the rate for determining the secondary ceiling cost per member under s. 121.07 (6) (d). The rate for any school year is the average percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, for the calendar year ending on the 2nd preceding December 31, as computed by the federal department of labor.

27,2360 Section 2360 . 73.03 (50) of the statutes is amended to read:

73.03 (50) With the approval of the joint committee on finance, to establish fees for obtaining a business tax registration certificate, which is valid for 2 years, and for renewing that certificate and shall issue and renew those certificates if the person who wishes to obtain or renew a certificate applies on a form that the department prescribes; sets forth the name under which the applicant intends to operate, the location of the applicant's place of operations and the other information that the department requires; and, in the case of a sole proprietor, signs the form or, in the case of other persons, has an individual who is authorized to act on behalf of the person sign the form, or, in the case of a single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code, the person is the owner.

27,2360m Section 2360m. 73.03 (51) of the statutes is created to read:

73.03 (51) To revoke all permits, licenses and certificates that the department has issued to a person who fails timely to renew a certificate under sub. (50), and to reissue those permits, licenses and certificates if the person renews the certificate under sub. (50).

27,2363 Section 2363 . 73.03 (53) of the statutes is created to read:

73.03 (53) To enter into agreements with direct marketers about the collection of state and local sales taxes and use taxes. The department of revenue may not implement any agreement under this subsection if the agreement does not conform to the law of this state.

27,2365 Section 2365 . 73.0305 of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

73.0305 Revenue limits calculations. The department of revenue shall annually determine and certify to the state superintendent of public instruction, no later than the 4th Monday in June, the allowable rate of increase for the limit imposed under subch. VII of ch. 121. For that limit, the allowable rate of increase is the percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, between the preceding March 31 and the 2nd preceding March 31, as computed by the federal department of labor.

27,2369 Section 2369 . 74.09 (2m) of the statutes is repealed.

27,2371m Section 2371m. 74.53 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

74.53 (1) Recovery of taxes and costs against persons. (intro.) Except as provided in subs. (3) and (5), a county or a city authorized to act under s. 74.87 municipality may bring a civil action against a person to recover any of the following amounts that are included in the tax roll for collection and any of the amounts under pars. (b) and (c) that are not included in the tax roll for collection:

27,2371p Section 2371p. 74.53 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

74.53 (4) Recovery limited. A county or a city authorized to act under s. 74.87 which municipality that proceeds against a property owner under this section may not recover more than the amount owed plus interest and penalties.

27,2371s Section 2371s. 74.53 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

74.53 (5) Prior approval; notice. No action may be commenced under sub. (1) for the amounts under sub. (1) (a) unless it is approved by the county board or the common council of a city authorized to act under s. 74.87 governing body of the municipality. The clerk shall mail, to the last-known address of the person against whom an action is proposed to be commenced, advance written notice of the time and place the county board will meet to consider approval of legal action. A county board or the common council of a city authorized to act under s. 74.87 governing body of the municipality may abrogate its duty to approve and notice each action to be commenced under sub. (1) by adopting an ordinance waiving the duty and specifying procedures by which an action under sub. (1) may be commenced.

27,2371t Section 2371t. 74.53 (6) of the statutes is amended to read:

74.53 (6) Action by taxing jurisdiction. A taxing jurisdiction may bring a civil action under this section against a person to recover special assessments as defined in s. 75.36 (1) and special charges levied by it for which the county or city authorized to act under s. 74.87 municipality did not settle in full under s. 74.29 or which were not fully paid by proceeds distributed under s. 75.05 or 75.36. Any amount recovered in an action under this subsection shall be reported to the county or city treasurer, who shall subtract it from the amount owed for purposes of sub. (4).

27,2373 Section 2373 . 75.105 of the statutes is created to read:

75.105 Cancellation of delinquent real property taxes on property contaminated by hazardous substances. (1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Department" means the department of natural resources.

(b) “Discharge" has the meaning given in s. 292.01 (3).

(c) “Hazardous substance" has the meaning given in s. 292.01 (5).

(2) Cancellation authorized. At any time before the recording of a tax deed based on a tax certificate issued on property for nonpayment of taxes, the governing body of a county may cancel all or a portion of the unpaid real property taxes for which a tax certificate has been issued plus interest and penalties on those taxes on the property if all of the following apply:

(a) The property is contaminated by a hazardous substance.

(b) An environmental assessment has been conducted and concludes that the property is contaminated by the discharge of a hazardous substance.

(c) The owner of the property or another person agrees to clean up the property by restoring the environment to the extent practicable and minimizing the harmful effects from a discharge of a hazardous substance in accordance with rules that the department promulgates.

(d) The owner of the property or another person presents to the county or city an agreement entered into with the department to investigate and clean up the property.

(e) The owner of the property agrees to maintain and monitor the property as required under rules that the department promulgates and under any contract entered into under those rules.

(3) Administration. Upon the cancellation of all or a portion of real property taxes under sub. (2), the county treasurer shall execute and provide to the owner of the property a statement identifying the property for which taxes have been cancelled and shall enter on the tax certificate the date upon which the taxes were cancelled and the amount of taxes cancelled.

(4) Certain cities authorized. A city authorized to proceed under s. 74.87 may act under this section with respect to unpaid real property taxes for which it has settled with other taxing jurisdictions.

27,2374 Section 2374 . 76.13 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

76.13 (2) Every tax roll upon completion shall be delivered to the state treasurer and a copy of the tax roll filed with the secretary of administration. The department shall notify, by certified mail, all companies listed on the tax roll of the amount of tax due, which shall be paid to the department. The payment dates provided for in sub. (2a) shall apply. The payment of one-fourth of the tax of any company may, if the company has brought an action in the Dane county circuit court under s. 76.08, be made without delinquent interest as provided in s. 76.14 any time prior to the date upon which the appeal becomes final, but any part of the tax ultimately required to be paid shall bear interest from the original due date to the date the appeal became final at the rate of 12% per year and at 1.5% per month thereafter until paid. The taxes extended against any company after the same become due, with interest, shall be a lien upon all the property of the company prior to all other liens, claims and demands whatsoever, except as provided in ss. 292.31 (8) (i), 292.41 (6) (d) and 292.81, which lien may be enforced in an action in the name of the state in any court of competent jurisdiction against the property of the company within the state as an entirety.

27,2375 Section 2375 . 76.22 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

76.22 (1) The taxes levied upon and extended against the property of any company defined in s. 76.02, after the same become due, with interest thereon, shall become a lien upon the property of such company within the state prior to all other liens, debts, claims or demands whatsoever, except as provided in ss. 292.31 (8) (i), 292.41 (6) (d) and 292.81, which lien may be enforced in an action in the name of the state in any state court of competent jurisdiction against such company and against the property of such company within the state. The place of the trial shall not be changed from the county in which any such action is commenced, except upon consent of parties.

27,2376 Section 2376 . 76.39 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

76.39 (5) Delinquent taxes, penalties, interest and late filing fees shall be a lien upon the property of any railroad company or car line company prior to all other liens, claims and demands, except as provided in ss. 292.31 (8) (i), 292.41 (6) (d) and 292.81, which lien may be enforced in any action in the name of the state in any court of competent jurisdiction. All provisions of law for enforcing payment of delinquent income or franchise taxes under ch. 71 or enforcing payment of delinquent taxes based on the value of property under this chapter shall be available to collection of taxes on gross receipts in this state levied under this section.

27,2377m Section 2377m. 76.84 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

27,2378 Section 2378 . 76.90 (2) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

76.90 (2) “Commercial mobile service" has the meaning given in 47 USC 332 (d).

27,2379b Section 2379b. 76.91 (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 76.91 (1) (intro.) and amended to read:

76.91 (1) (intro.) For 1999 and 2000, there is imposed on each cellular mobile radio telecommunications utility person that is licensed by the federal communications commission to provide commercial mobile service and on each person that, on June 6, 1996, provides basic local exchange service a transitional adjustment fee. Taxpayers shall pay the tax during May 1998, November 1998, May 1999, November 1999 and May 2000. For each month that a fee is due under this subchapter, the taxpayer shall pay to the department an amount calculated as follows:

27,2379c Section 2379c. 76.91 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 76.91 (1) (a).

27,2379d Section 2379d. 76.91 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 76.91 (1) (b) and amended to read:

76.91 (1) (b) Subtract from the amount under sub. (1) par. (a) the taxpayer's payment during that month of the tax under subch. IV.

27,2379e Section 2379e. 76.91 (2) of the statutes is created to read:

76.91 (2) If a person that is licensed by the federal communications commission to provide commercial mobile service in this state is a telephone company under s. 76.02 (9u), 1993 stats., on June 6, 1996, the calculation of the fee under this subchapter is limited to that person's activities as a provider of commercial mobile service in this state.

27,2379m Section 2379m. Chapter 77 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

CHAPTER 77
TAXATION OF FOREST CROPLANDS;
REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEES; SALES
AND USE TAXES; COUNTY AND
SPECIAL DISTRICT SALES AND USE
TAXES; MANAGED FOREST LAND;
TEMPORARY RECYCLING SURCHARGE;
LOCAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAX;
LOCAL RENTAL CAR TAX; premier
resort area taxes; STATE RENTAL
VEHICLE fee; dry cleaning fees;
tax on adult entertainment

27,2380 Section 2380 . 77.51 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.51 (2) “Contractors" and “subcontractors" are the consumers of tangible personal property used by them in real property construction activities and the sales and use tax applies to the sale of tangible personal property to them. In this subsection, “real property construction activities" include the fabrication of modular units designed and fabricated for a specific prefabricated building to be affixed to land at a particular location designated by the purchaser before the fabrication of the modules if the modular units will have a realty function and will become a permanent accession to the realty. A contractor engaged primarily in real property construction activities may use resale certificates only with respect to purchases of property which the contractor has sound reason to believe the contractor will sell to customers for whom the contractor will not perform real property construction activities involving the use of such property. In this subsection, “real property construction activities" means activities that occur at a site where tangible personal property that is applied or adapted to the use or purpose to which real property is devoted is affixed to that real property, if the intent of the person who affixes that property is to make a permanent accession to the real property. In this subsection, “real property construction activities" do not include affixing to real property tangible personal property that remains tangible personal property after it is affixed.

27,2381 Section 2381 . 77.51 (3r) of the statutes is created to read:

77.51 (3r) “File" means mail or deliver a document that the department prescribes to the department or, if the department prescribes another method of submitting or another destination, use that other method or submit to that other destination.

27,2381m Section 2381m. 77.51 (4) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

77.51 (4) (a) 4. Any tax included in or added to the purchase price, including the taxes imposed by ss. s. 78.01, unless the tax is refunded, ss.78.40, 139.02, 139.03 and 139.31, the federal motor fuel tax unless the tax is refunded and any manufacturers' or importers' excise tax; but not including any tax imposed by the United States, any other tax imposed by this state or any tax imposed by any municipality of this state upon or with respect to retail sales whether imposed upon the retailer or the consumer if that federal, state or municipal tax is measured by a stated percentage of sales price or gross receipts or the federal communications tax imposed upon the services set forth in s. 77.52 (2) (a) 5. For purposes of the sales tax, if a retailer establishes to the satisfaction of the department that the sales tax imposed by this subchapter has been added to the total amount of the sales price and has not been absorbed by the retailer, the total amount of the sales price shall be the amount received exclusive of the sales tax imposed. For the purpose of this subdivision, a tax shall be deemed “imposed upon or with respect to retail sales" only if the retailer is the person who is required to make the payment of the tax to the governmental unit levying the tax.

27,2382 Section 2382 . 77.51 (4) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

77.51 (4) (b) 3. In all transactions, except those to which subd. 7. applies, in which an article of tangible personal property is traded toward the purchase of an article of greater value, the gross receipts shall be only that portion of the purchase price represented by the difference between the full purchase price of the article of greater value and the amount allowed for the article traded.

27,2383 Section 2383 . 77.51 (4) (b) 7. of the statutes is created to read:

77.51 (4) (b) 7. For the sale of a manufactured building, as defined in s. 101.71 (6); at the retailer's option, except that after a retailer chooses an option, the retailer may not use the other option for other sales without the department's written approval; either 35% of the gross receipts or an amount equal to the gross receipts minus the cost of the materials that become an ingredient or component part of the building.

27,2383g Section 2383g. 77.51 (4) (c) 6. of the statutes is amended to read:

77.51 (4) (c) 6. Charges associated with time-share property that is taxable under s. 77.52 (2) (a) 1. or 2.

27,2383m Section 2383m. 77.51 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.51 (10) “Person" includes any natural person, firm, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, joint stock company, association, public or private corporation, the United States, the state of Wisconsin, including any unit or division thereof, any county, city, village, town, municipal utility, municipal power district or other governmental unit, cooperative, estate, trust, receiver, executor, administrator, any other fiduciary, and any representative appointed by order of any court or otherwise acting on behalf of others. “Person" also includes the owner of a single-owner entity that is disregarded as a separate entity under ch. 71.

27,2383r Section 2383r. 77.51 (15) (a) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

77.51 (15) (a) 4. Any tax included in or added to the purchase price including the taxes imposed by ss. s. 78.01, unless the tax is refunded, ss. 78.40, 139.02, 139.03 and 139.31 and the federal motor fuel tax unless the tax is refunded and including also any manufacturers' or importers' excise tax; but not including any tax imposed by the United States, any other tax imposed by this state, or any tax imposed by any municipality of this state upon or with respect to retail sales whether imposed on the retailer or consumer, if that federal, state or municipal tax is measured by a stated percentage of sales price or gross receipts, and not including the federal communications tax imposed upon the services set forth in s. 77.52 (2) (a) 5. For the purpose of this subdivision, a tax shall be deemed “imposed upon or with respect to retail sales" only if the retailer is the person who is required to make the payment of the tax to the governmental unit levying the tax.

27,2384 Section 2384 . 77.51 (15) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

77.51 (15) (b) 4. In all transactions, except those to which subd. 6. applies, in which an article of tangible personal property is traded toward the purchase of an article of greater value, the sales price shall be only that portion of the purchase price represented by the difference between the full purchase price of the article of greater value and the amount allowed for the article traded.

27,2385 Section 2385 . 77.51 (15) (b) 6. of the statutes is created to read:

77.51 (15) (b) 6. For the sale of a manufactured building, as defined in s. 101.71 (6); at the retailer's option, except that after a retailer chooses an option, the retailer may not use the other option for other sales without the department's written approval; either 35% of the sales price or an amount equal to the sales price minus the cost of the materials that become an ingredient or component part of the building.

27,2386 Section 2386 . 77.51 (17r) of the statutes is created to read:

77.51 (17r) “Sign" means write one's signature or, if the department prescribes another method of authenticating, use that other method.

27,2386g Section 2386g. 77.51 (18) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 77.51 (18) and amended to read:

77.51 (18) “Storage" includes any keeping or retention in this state of tangible personal property purchased from a retailer for any purpose except the following: sale in the regular course of business.

27,2386h Section 2386h. 77.51 (18) (a) and (b) of the statutes are repealed.

27,2386j Section 2386j. 77.51 (21m) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.51 (21m) “Telecommunications services" means sending messages and information transmitted through the use of local, toll and wide-area telephone service; channel services; telegraph services; teletypewriter; computer exchange services; cellular mobile telecommunications service; specialized mobile radio; stationary two-way radio; paging service; or any other form of mobile and portable one-way or two-way communications; or any other transmission of messages or information by electronic or similar means between or among points by wire, cable, fiber optics, laser, microwave, radio, satellite or similar facilities. “Telecommunications services" does not include sending collect telecommunications that are received outside of the state. In this subsection, “computer exchange services" does not include providing access to or use of the internet. In this subsection, “internet" means interconnecting networks that are connected to network access points by telecommunications services.

27,2386p Section 2386p. 77.51 (22) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

77.51 (22) (a) “Use" includes the exercise of any right or power over tangible personal property or taxable services incident to the ownership, possession or enjoyment of the property or services, or the results produced by the services, including installation or affixation to real property and including the possession of, or the exercise of any right or power over tangible personal property by a lessee under a lease, except that “use" does not include the activities under sub. (18) (a) and (b).