70.114
70.114
Aids on certain state lands equivalent to property taxes. 70.114(1)(a)
(a) "Department" means the department of natural resources.
70.114(1)(b)
(b) "Estimated value", for the year during which land is purchased, means the purchase price and, for later years, means the value that was used for calculating the aid payment under this section for the prior year increased or decreased to reflect the annual percentage change in the equalized valuation of all property, excluding improvements, in the taxation district, as determined by comparing the most recent determination of equalized valuation under
s. 70.57 for that property to the next preceding determination of equalized valuation under
s. 70.57 for that property.
70.114(1)(c)
(c) "Land" means state forests, as defined in
s. 28.02 (1), that are acquired after December 31, 1991, state parks that are acquired after December 31, 1991, under
s. 27.01 and other areas that are acquired after December 31, 1991, under
s. 23.09 (2) (d),
23.091,
23.27,
23.29,
23.293,
23.31 or
29.749 (1).
70.114(1)(d)
(d) "Purchase price" means the amount paid by the department for a fee simple interest in real property. "Purchase price" does not include administrative costs incurred by the department to acquire the land, such as legal fees, appraisal costs or recording fees. If real estate is transferred to the department by gift or is sold to the department for an amount that is less than the estimated fair market value of the property as shown on the property tax bill prepared for the prior year under
s. 74.09, "purchase price" means an amount equal to the estimated fair market value of the property as shown on that tax bill. If the real estate is exempt from taxation at the time that it is transferred or sold to the department and if the property was not sold at an arm's-length sale, "purchase price" means the fair market value of the real estate at the time that the department takes title to it.
70.114(1)(e)
(e) "Taxation district" means a city, village or town, except that if a city or village lies in more than one county, the portions of that city or village that lie within each county are separate taxation districts.
70.114(1)(f)
(f) "Taxing jurisdiction" means any entity authorized by law to levy taxes on general property, as defined in
s. 70.02, that are measured by the property's value.
70.114(2)
(2) Application. For all land acquired after December 31, 1991, the department shall pay aids in lieu of taxes under this section and not under
s. 70.113.
70.114(3)
(3) Ascertaining rate. Each year, the department shall ascertain from the clerks of the taxation district the aggregate net general property tax rate for taxation districts to which aids are paid under this section.
70.114(4)(a)(a) On or before January 31, the department shall pay to each treasurer of a taxation district, with respect to each parcel of land acquired by the department within the taxation district on or before January 1 of the preceding year, an amount determined by multiplying each parcel's estimated value equated to the average level of assessment in the taxation district by the aggregate net general property tax rate that would apply to the parcel of land if it were taxable, as shown on property tax bills prepared for that year under
s. 74.09.
70.114(4)(b)
(b) On or before February 15, the taxation district treasurer shall pay to the treasurer of each taxing jurisdiction, from the amount received under
par. (a), the taxing jurisdiction's proportionate share of the tax that would be levied on the parcel if it were taxable.
70.115
70.115
Taxation of real estate held by investment board. All real estate owned or held by any of the funds invested by the investment board, other than the constitutional trust funds, shall be assessed and taxed in the same manner as privately owned real estate. Such taxes shall be paid out of the fund to which the lands belong or for whose benefit they are held. If such taxes are not paid, the real estate shall be subject to inclusion in a tax certificate under
s. 74.57 as are privately owned lands.
70.115 History
History: 1987 a. 378;
1995 a. 225.
70.119
70.119
Payments for municipal services. 70.119(1)
(1) The state and the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority shall make reasonable payments at established rates for water, sewer and electrical services and all other services directly provided by a municipality to state facilities and facilities of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority described in
s. 70.11 (38), including garbage and trash disposal and collection, which are financed in whole or in part by special charges or fees. Such payments for services provided to state facilities shall be made from the appropriations to state agencies for the operation of the facilities. Each state agency making such payments shall annually report the payments to the department.
70.119(2)
(2) The department shall make reasonable payments for municipal services pursuant to the procedures specified in
subs. (4),
(5) and
(6), except as provided in
sub. (9).
70.119(3)(a)
(a) "Committee" means the joint committee on finance.
70.119(3)(b)
(b) "Department" means the department of administration.
70.119(3)(c)
(c) "Municipality" means cities, villages, towns, counties and metropolitan sewerage districts with general taxing authority.
70.119(3)(d)
(d) "Municipal services" means police and fire protection, garbage and trash disposal and collection not paid for under
sub. (1) and, subject to approval by the committee, any other direct general government service provided by municipalities to state facilities and facilities of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority described in
s. 70.11 (38).
70.119(3)(e)
(e) "State facilities" means all property owned and operated by the state for the purpose of carrying out usual state functions, including the branch campuses of the university of Wisconsin system but not including land held for highway right-of-way purposes.
70.119(4)
(4) The department shall be responsible for negotiating with municipalities on payments for municipal services and may delegate certain responsibilities of negotiation to other state agencies or to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. Prior to negotiating with municipalities the department shall submit guidelines for negotiation to the committee for approval.
70.119(5)
(5) Upon approval of guidelines by the committee, the department shall proceed with negotiations. In no case may a municipality withhold services to the state or to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority during negotiations.
70.119(6)(a)(a) No later than November 15 annually, the department shall report to the cochairpersons of the committee the results of its negotiations and the total payments proposed to be made in the subsequent calendar year. In computing the proposed payments to a municipality, the department shall base its calculations on the values of state facilities and facilities of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority described in
s. 70.11 (38), as determined by the department for January 1 of the year preceding the year of the report, and the values of improvements to property in the municipality as determined under
s. 70.57 (1) for January 1 of the year preceding the year of the report, and shall also base its calculations on revenues and expenditures of the municipality as reported under
s. 73.10 (2) for the year preceding the year of the report.
70.119(6)(b)
(b) If the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the proposed total payments within 14 working days after the date on which the department's report is received, the department may make the payments. If, within 14 working days after the date on which the department's report is received, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the proposed total payments, the department shall not make the payments without the approval of the committee.
70.119(7)(a)(a) The department shall make payment from the appropriation under
s. 20.835 (5) (a) for municipal services provided by municipalities to state facilities. If the appropriation under
s. 20.835 (5) (a) is insufficient to pay the full amount under
sub. (6) in any one year, the department shall prorate payments among the municipalities entitled thereto. The University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority shall make payment for municipal services provided by municipalities to facilities of the authority described in
s. 70.11 (38).
70.119(7)(b)
(b) The department shall determine the proportionate cost of payments for municipal services provided by a municipality for each program financed from revenues other than general purpose revenues and revenues derived from academic student fees levied by the board of regents of the university of Wisconsin system, and for each appropriation made from such revenues which finances the cost of such a program.
70.119(7)(c)
(c) The department shall assess to the appropriate program revenue and program revenue-service accounts and segregated funds the costs of providing payments for municipal services for the administration of programs financed from program revenues or segregated revenues, except program revenues derived from academic student fees levied by the board of regents of the university of Wisconsin system. If payments are prorated under
par. (a) in any year, the department shall assess costs under this paragraph as affected by the proration. The department shall transfer to the general fund an amount equal to the assessments in each year from the appropriate program revenue, program revenue-service and segregated revenue appropriations.
70.119(8)
(8) This section supersedes other statutes relating to payments for municipal services. Extraordinary police services provided to state facilities are subject to reimbursement under
s. 16.008.
70.119(9)
(9) The department shall not make payments for municipal services at the parking ramp located at 1 West Wilson street in the city of Madison.
70.12
70.12
Real property, where assessed. All real property not expressly exempt from taxation shall be entered upon the assessment roll in the assessment district where it lies.
70.12 History
History: 1981 c. 190.
70.13
70.13
Where personal property assessed. 70.13(1)
(1) All personal property shall be assessed in the assessment district where the same is located or customarily kept except as otherwise specifically provided. Personal property in transit within the state on the first day of January shall be assessed in the district in which the same is intended to be kept or located, and personal property having no fixed location shall be assessed in the district where the owner or the person in charge or possession thereof resides, except as provided in
sub. (5).
70.13(2)
(2) Saw logs or timber in transit, which are to be sawed or manufactured in any mill in this state, shall be deemed located and shall be assessed in the district in which such mill is located. Saw logs or timber shall be deemed in transit when the same are being transported either by water or rail, but when such logs or timber are banked, decked, piled or otherwise temporarily stored for transportation in any district, they shall be deemed located, and shall be assessed in such district.
70.13(3)
(3) On or before the tenth day of January in each year the owner of logs or timber in transit shall furnish the assessor of the district in which the mill at which the logs or timber will be sawed or manufactured is located a verified statement of the amount, character and value of all the logs and timber in transit on the first day of January preceding, and the owner of the logs or timber shall furnish to the assessor of the district in which the logs and timber were located on the first day of January preceding, a like verified statement of the amount, character and value thereof. Any assessment made in accordance with the owner's statement shall be valid and binding on the owner notwithstanding any subsequent change as to the place where the same may be sawed or manufactured. If the owner of the logs or timber shall fail or refuse to furnish the statement herein provided for, or shall intentionally make a false statement, that owner shall be subject to the penalties prescribed by
s. 70.36.
70.13(5)
(5) As between school districts, the location of personal property for taxation shall be determined by the same rules as between assessment districts; provided, that whenever the owner or occupant shall reside upon any contiguous tracts or parcels of land which shall lie in 2 or more assessment districts, then the farm implements, livestock, and farm products of the owner or occupant used, kept, or being upon the contiguous tracts or parcels of land, shall be assessed in the assessment district where that personal property is customarily kept.
70.13(6)
(6) No change of location or sale of any personal property after the first day of January in any year shall affect the assessment made in such year.
70.13(7)
(7) Saw logs or timber removed from public lands during the year next preceding the first day of January or having been removed from such lands and in transit therefrom on the first day of January, shall be deemed located and assessed in the assessment district wherein such public lands are located and shall be assessed in no other assessment district. Saw logs or timber shall be deemed in transit when the same are being transported. On or before January 10 in each year the owner of such logs or timber shall furnish the assessor of the assessment district wherein they are assessable a verified statement of the amount, character and value of all such logs and timber. If the owner of any such logs or timber shall fail or refuse to furnish such statement or shall intentionally make a false statement, he or she is subject to the penalties prescribed by
s. 70.36. This subsection shall supersede any provision of law in conflict therewith. The term "owner" as used in this subsection is deemed to mean the person owning the logs or timber at the time of severing. "Public lands" as used in this subsection shall mean lands owned by the United States of America, the state of Wisconsin or any political subdivision of this state.
70.13 Annotation
The situs for taxation assessment purposes of a movable bituminous plant was not the town of Albany, although the plant was physically present in the town during most of the 1970 tax year and because the property was neither "located" in the town nor "customarily kept" there. Wm. J. Kennedy & Son, Inc. v. Town of Albany, 66 W (2d) 447, 225 NW (2d) 624.
70.14
70.14
Incorporated companies. The residence of an incorporated company, for the purposes of
s. 70.13, shall be held to be in the assessment district where the principal office or place of business of such company shall be.
70.15
70.15
Assessment of vessels. 70.15(1)
(1) That in consideration of an annual payment into the treasury of any town, village or city where such property is assessable by the owner of any steam vessel, barge, boat or other water craft, owned within this state, or hailing from any port thereof, and employed regularly in interstate traffic of a sum equal to one cent per net ton of the registered tonnage thereof, said steam vessel, barge, boat or other water craft shall be and the same is hereby made exempt from further taxation, either state or municipal.
70.15(2)
(2) The owner of any steam vessel, barge, boat or other water craft, hailing from any port of this state, "and so employed regularly in interstate traffic," desiring to comply with the terms of this section, shall annually, on or before the first day of January, file with the clerk of such town, village or city a verified statement, in writing, containing the name, port of hail, tonnage and name of owner of such steam vessel, barge, boat or other water craft, and shall thereupon pay into the said treasury of such town, village or city a sum equal to one cent per net ton of the registered tonnage of said vessel, and the treasurer shall thereupon issue a receipt. All vessels, boats or other water craft not regularly employed in interstate traffic and all private yachts or pleasure boats belonging to inhabitants of this state, whether at home or abroad, shall be taxed as personal property.
70.15 History
History: 1977 c. 29 s.
1646 (3);
1977 c. 273.
70.17
70.17
Lands, to whom assessed; buildings on exempt lands. 70.17(1)(1) Real property shall be entered in the name of the owner, if known to the assessor, otherwise to the occupant thereof if ascertainable, and otherwise without any name. The person holding the contract or certificate of sale of any real property contracted to be sold by the state, but not conveyed, shall be deemed the owner for such purpose. The undivided real estate of any deceased person may be entered to the heirs of such person without designating them by name. The real estate of an incorporated company shall be entered in the same manner as that of an individual. Improvements on leased lands may be assessed either as real property or personal property.
70.17(2)
(2) All lands which have been or may be contracted for sale by any county shall be assessed and taxed to the parties contracting therefor.
70.17 Annotation
The term "leased lands" should be construed broadly to include a number of situations where the occupier of land not owned by him places improvements on the land; a formal lease is not required. Town of Menominee v. Skubitz, 53 W (2d) 430, 192 NW (2d) 887.
70.17 Annotation
The tax lister may, but is not required to, change the ownership designation on joint property on the basis of notification other than formal procedures.
80 Atty. Gen. 73.
70.174
70.174
Improvements on government-owned land. Improvements made by any person on land within this state owned by the United States may be assessed either as real or personal property to the person making the same, if ascertainable, and otherwise to the occupant thereof or the person receiving benefits therefrom.
70.177
70.177
Federal property. Property the taxation of which the federal government has consented to is taxable under this chapter.
70.177 History
History: 1987 a. 10.
70.18
70.18
Personal property, to whom assessed. 70.18(1)
(1) Personal property shall be assessed to the owner thereof, except that when it is in the charge or possession of some person other than the owner it may be assessed to the person so in charge or possession of the same. Telegraph and telephone poles, posts, railroad ties, lumber and all other manufactured forest products shall be deemed to be in the charge or possession of the person in occupancy or possession of the premises upon which the same shall be stored or piled, and the same shall be assessed to such person, unless the owner or some other person residing in the same assessment district, shall be actually and actively in charge and possession thereof, in which case it shall be assessed to such resident owner or other person so in actual charge or possession; but nothing contained in this clause shall affect or change the rules prescribed in
s. 70.13 respecting the district in which such property shall be assessed.
70.18(2)
(2) Goods, wares and merchandise in storage in a commercial storage warehouse or on a public wharf shall be assessed to the owner thereof and not to the warehouse or public wharf, if the operator of the warehouse or public wharf furnishes to the assessor the names and addresses of the owners of all goods, wares and merchandise not exempt from taxation.
70.18 History
History: 1981 c. 20.
70.18 Annotation
Property whose title and most of the indicia of ownership is in the U.S. government may not be taxed under sub. (1), since the tax is on ownership, not use. State ex rel. General Motors Corp. v. Oak Creek, 49 W (2d) 299, 182 NW (2d) 481.
70.18 Annotation
A trial court's finding under stipulated facts that the U.S. government was the beneficial owner and not subject to the personal property tax under (1) constituted a conclusion of law and hence the supreme court is not limited in its review to such finding. Teledyne Industries, Inc. v. Milwaukee, 65 W (2d) 557, 223 NW (2d) 586.
70.18 Annotation
Decisions permitting local taxation of the possession of federal property. Van Cleve, 1959 WLR 190.
70.19
70.19
Assessment, how made; liability and rights of representative. 70.19(1)(1) When personal property shall be assessed to some person in charge or possession thereof other than the owner or person beneficially entitled thereto as hereinbefore provided, the assessment thereof shall be entered upon the assessment roll separately from the same person's assessment of the person's own personal property, adding to the person's name upon such roll words briefly indicating that such assessment is made to the person as the person in charge or possession thereof as occupant or possessor of the premises on which such property is stored or piled or as the spouse, agent, lessee, occupant, mortgagee, pledgee, executor, administrator, trustee, assignee, receiver or other representative of the owner or person beneficially entitled thereto; but a failure to enter such assessment separately or to indicate the representative capacity or other relationship of the person assessed shall not affect the validity of the assessment.
70.19(2)
(2) The person so assessed is personally liable for the tax on the property. The person has a personal right of action against the owner or person beneficially entitled to the property for the amount of the taxes and has a lien for that amount upon the property with the rights and remedies for the preservation and enforcement of that lien provided in
ss. 779.45 and
779.48, and is entitled to retain possession of the property until the owner or person beneficially entitled to the property pays the tax on the property or reimburses the person assessed for the tax if paid by that person. The lien and right of possession relate back and exist from the time when assessment is made, but may be released and discharged by giving to the person assessed such undertaking or other indemnity as the person accepts or by giving the person a bond in the amount and with the sureties as is directed and approved by the circuit judge of the county in which the property is assessed, upon 8 days' notice to the person assessed. The bond shall be conditioned to hold and keep the person against whom the assessment is made free and harmless from any and all costs, expense, liability or damage by reason of the assessment.
70.20
70.20
Owner's liability when personalty assessed to another; action to collect. 70.20(1)
(1) When personal property shall be assessed to some person in charge or possession thereof, other than the owner, such owner as well as the person so in charge or possession shall be liable for the taxes levied pursuant to such assessment; and the liability of such owner may be enforced in a personal action as for a debt. Such action may be brought in the name of the town, city or village in which such assessment was made, if commenced before the time fixed by law for the return of delinquent taxes, by direction of the treasurer or tax collector of such town, city or village. If commenced after such a return, it shall be brought in the name of the county or other municipality to the treasurer or other officer of which such return shall be made, by direction of such treasurer or other officer. Such action may be brought in any court of this state having jurisdiction of the amount involved and in which jurisdiction may be obtained of the person of such owner or by attachment of the property of such owner.
70.20(2)
(2) The remedy of attachment may be allowed in such action upon filing an affidavit of the officer by whose direction such action shall be brought, showing the assessment of such property in the assessment district, the amount of tax levied pursuant thereto, that the defendant was the owner of such property at the time as of which the assessment thereof was made, and that such tax remains unpaid in whole or in part, and the amount remaining unpaid. The proceedings in such actions and for enforcement of the judgment obtained therein shall be the same as in ordinary actions for debt as near as may be, but no property shall be exempt from attachment or execution issued upon a judgment against the defendant in such action.
70.20(3)
(3) The assessment and tax rolls in which such assessment and tax shall be entered shall be prima facie evidence of such assessment and tax and of the justice and regularity thereof; and the same, with proof of the ownership of such property by the defendant at the time as of which the assessment was made and of the nonpayment of such tax, shall be sufficient to establish the liability of the defendant. Such liability shall not be affected and such action shall not be defeated by any omission or irregularity in the assessment or tax proceedings not affecting the substantial justice and equity of the tax. The provisions of this section shall not impair or affect the remedies given by other provisions of law for the collection or enforcement of such tax against the person to whom the property was assessed.
70.21
70.21
Partnership; estates in hands of executor; personal property, how assessed. 70.21(1)
(1) Except as provided in
sub. (2), the personal property of a partnership may be assessed in the names of the persons composing such partnership, so far as known or in the firm name or title under which the partnership business is conducted, and each partner shall be liable for the taxes levied thereon. Undistributed personal property belonging to the estate of a person deceased shall be assessed to the executor or administrator if one shall have been appointed and qualified, on the first day of January in the year in which the assessment is made, otherwise it may be assessed to the estate of such deceased person, and the tax thereon shall be paid by the executor or administrator if one be thereafter appointed, otherwise by the person or persons in possession of such property at the time of the assessment.
70.21(2)
(2) The personal property of a limited liability partnership shall be assessed in the name of the partnership, and each partner shall be liable for the taxes levied thereon only to the extent permitted under
s. 178.12.
70.21 History
History: 1977 c. 29 s.
1646 (3);
1995 a. 97.
70.22
70.22
Personal property being administered, how assessed. 70.22(1)(1) In case one or more of 2 or more executors of the will or administrators or trustees of the estate of a decedent whose domicile at the time of the decedent's death was in this state are not residents of the state, the taxable personal property belonging to the estate shall be assessed to the executors, administrators or trustees residing in this state. In case there are 2 or more executors, administrators or trustees of the same estate residing in this state, but in different taxation districts, the assessment of the taxable personal property belonging to the estate shall be in the name of all of the executors, administrators or trustees of the estate residing in this state. In case the executor, administrator or trustee, or all of them if more than one, do not reside in this state, the taxable personal property belonging to the estate may be assessed in the name of the executors or administrators or in the name of the estate.
70.22(2)(a)(a) The taxes imposed pursuant to an assessment under
sub. (1) may be enforced as a claim against the estate, upon presentation of a claim for the taxes by the treasurer of the taxation district to the court in which the proceedings for the probate of the estate are pending. Upon due proof, the court shall allow and order the claim to be paid.
70.22(2)(b)
(b) Before allowing the final account of a nonresident executor, administrator or trustee, the court shall ascertain whether there are or will be any taxes remaining unpaid or to be paid on account of personal property belonging to the estate, and shall make any order or direction that is necessary to provide for the payment of the taxes.
70.22(3)
(3) The provisions of this section shall not impair or affect any remedy given by other provisions of law for the collection or enforcement of taxes upon personal property assessed to executors, administrators or trustees.
70.22 History
History: 1991 a. 316;
1997 a. 253.
