76.07(4g)(d)18.
18. Determine the gross cost of property owned or rented by the company and used in the operation of the company's business other than pipe in this state.
76.07(4g)(d)19.
19. Determine the gross cost of all property owned or rented by the company and used in the operation of the company's business everywhere.
76.07(4g)(d)22.
22. Multiply the fraction under subd.
21. by the full market value of the company's property everywhere.
76.07(4r)
(4r)
Adjustment of factors. In making the determinations under sub.
(4g), the department may adjust any factor or use any other factor in order to reflect more accurately the company's property in this state if in the department's judgment the factor or combination of factors does not produce a substantially just and correct determination or if during the 12 months preceding the assessment date any of the following conditions applies:
76.07(4r)(a)
(a) The company began operating in this state and the results of its operations during the first year materially distort the allocation of property to this state.
76.07(4r)(b)
(b) The company's service was interrupted so that the allocation of property to this state is materially distorted.
76.07(4r)(c)
(c) The company acquired or disposed of assets having a substantial value that are situated so as materially to distort the allocation of property to this state.
76.07(4r)(d)
(d) Another event occurred which materially distorted the allocation of property to this state.
76.07(5)(a)(a) The full market value of the operating property of a company listed in s.
76.01 shall be determined by applying recognized appraisal methods, which may include, but are not limited to, the capitalized income, cost, and stock and debt indicators of value, regardless of the method of accounting for legitimate business purposes used by the taxpayer. The department shall give due consideration to generally accepted accounting principles and regulated accounting practices.
76.07(5)(b)
(b) The department shall promulgate rules relating to the general principles of the indicators of value under par.
(a).
76.07 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
Tax 6.50, Wis. adm. code.
76.07 Annotation
A railroad's working capital was properly assessed as operating property. The valuation of railroads is discussed. Soo Line Railroad Co. v. DOR,
97 Wis. 2d 56,
292 N.W.2d 869 (1980).
76.075
76.075
Adjustments of assessments. Within 4 years after the due date, or extended due date, of the report under s.
76.04, any person subject to taxation under this subchapter may request the department to make, or the department may make, an adjustment to the data under s.
76.07 (4g) or
(4r) submitted by the person. If an adjustment under this section results in an increase in the tax due under this subchapter, the person shall pay the amount of the tax increase plus interest on that amount at the rate of 1 percent per month from the due date or extended due date of the report under s.
76.04 until the date of final determination and interest at the rate of 1.5 percent per month from the date of final determination until the date of payment. If an adjustment under this section results in a decrease in the tax due under this subchapter, the department shall refund the appropriate amount plus interest at the rate of 0.75 percent per month from the due date or extended due date under s.
76.04 until the date of refund. Sections
71.74 (1) and
(2) and
71.75 (6) and
(7), as they apply to income and franchise tax adjustments, apply to adjustments under this section. Review of the adjustments is as stated in s.
76.08.
76.075 History
History: 1989 a. 31.
76.08
76.08
Review of assessment. 76.08(1)(1)
Notice of the assessments determined under s.
76.07 and of adjustments under s.
76.075 shall be given by certified mail to each company the property of which has been assessed, and the notice of assessment shall be mailed on or before the assessment date specified in s.
76.07 (1). Any company aggrieved by the assessment or adjustment of its property thus made may have its assessment or adjustment redetermined by the Dane County circuit court if within 30 days after notice of assessment or adjustment is mailed to the company under s.
76.07 (3) an action for the redetermination is commenced by filing a summons and complaint with that court, and service of authenticated copies of the summons and complaint is made upon the department of revenue. No answer need be filed by the department and the allegations of the complaint in opposition to the assessment or adjustment shall be deemed denied. Upon the filing of the summons and complaint the court shall set the matter for hearing without a jury. If the plaintiff fails to file the summons and complaint within 5 days of service upon the department, the department may file a copy thereof with the court in lieu of the original. The department may be named as the defendant in any such action and shall appear and be represented by its counsel in all proceedings connected with the action but, on the request of the secretary of revenue, the attorney general may participate with or serve in lieu of departmental counsel. In an action for redetermination of an adjustment, only the issues raised in the department's adjustment under s.
76.075 may be raised.
76.08(2)
(2) If as the result of an action pursuant to sub.
(1) the assessment as found by the department is increased by the court, any resulting increase in the tax shall be collected upon final determination of the action as other taxes levied and assessed under ss.
76.01 to
76.26 are collected.
76.08 History
History: 1971 c. 125 s.
521; Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 751 (1975);
1977 c. 449;
1989 a. 31.
76.08 Note
Judicial Council Committee Note, 1974: Sub. (1) amended to conform to the new mode of commencement of action under s. 801.02. As amended, this section would require both the filing and the service on the department within 30 days after the mailing of the notice of assessment. [Re Order effective Jan. 1, 1976]
76.09
76.09
Assessment of omitted property. Any property subject to assessment under this subchapter which has been omitted from assessment or which has not been included in any assessment already made in any of the 5 next previous years by mistake or inadvertence unless previously reassessed for the same year or years, shall be entered by the department upon its assessment and tax roll once additionally for each year so omitted, designating each additional entry as omitted for the year of omission and fixing the valuation and tax to each entry for a former year as the same should then have been assessed according to the best judgment of the department. The proceedings related to an assessment under this section shall be had and hearings given as far as practicable in accordance with this subchapter.
76.09 History
History: 1979 c. 102 s.
236 (1);
1995 a. 225.
76.10
76.10
Review of state assessment; notice of hearing; decision; time limits; notice of decision; action to review decision; error adjusted. 76.10(1)(1)
Every company defined in s.
76.02 shall, on or before October 1 in each year, be entitled, on its own motion, to present evidence before the department relating to the state assessment made in the preceding year pursuant to s.
70.575. On request, in writing, for such hearing or presentation, the department shall fix a time therefor within 60 days after such application is filed, the same to be conducted in such manner as the department directs. Notice of such hearing shall be mailed to any company requesting a hearing and shall be published in the official state paper. Within 30 days after the conclusion of such hearing the department shall enter an order either affirming the state assessment or ordering correction thereof as provided in sub.
(2). A copy of such order shall be sent by certified mail to the company or companies requesting such hearing and to any interested party who has made an appearance in such proceeding. The department may, on its own motion, correct such state assessment. Any company having filed application for review of the state assessment pursuant to this section, or any other interested party participating in such hearing, if aggrieved by the order entered by the department, may bring an action in the circuit court for Dane County within 30 days after the entry of such order to have said order set aside and a redetermination made of the state assessment. In any such action or in any hearing before the department pursuant to this section, any interested party may appear and be heard. An interested party includes any division of government whose revenues would be affected by any adjustment of the state assessment.
76.10(2)
(2) Whenever, in reviewing the valuation of the general property of the state, under the provisions of this section, the department shall determine that the valuation last made by it of the general property of the state under s.
70.575 was too high or too low, it shall adjust the next state assessment to correct such error; and any mistake discovered in any return, either by omission or otherwise, of any tax reported, or because of failure to report, shall be considered by the department in fixing the average tax rate for the year following, by adding to or deducting from the total tax returned the amount of such mistake or omission.
76.11
76.11
Aggregate of all general property taxes. 76.11(1)(1)
The department on or before August 15, upon returns from the secretary of state or from county, town, city and village officers, or both, shall ascertain and determine the aggregate tax in the whole state for state, county and local purposes levied on the general property of the state, excluding special assessments on property for local improvements, and when the aggregate of all taxes, state, county and local consolidated is thus ascertained and determined, the amount thereof shall be entered on the records of the department.
76.11(2)
(2) When the officers of any county, town, city or village shall have failed to return the amount of state, county and local taxes, levied on property therein within the time required by law, the department may inspect and examine or cause an inspection and examination of the records of such officers, to procure the required information, and when no return is made and no information can be procured, the state, county and local taxes levied in such town, city or village in the prior year may be used in determining the aggregate taxes specified in sub.
(1). Any county, town, city or village officer who shall fail to make the report or reports required by this subchapter shall be subject to a penalty of not less than $25 nor more than $150, to be recovered in a proper action in the name of the state of Wisconsin in any court of competent jurisdiction; and any expense necessarily incurred by the department in procuring the information not reported as required by law by any such officer shall be a special charge against the county, town, city or village whose officer shall have so failed to furnish the required information and shall be collected in the same manner as other special charges.
76.11 History
History: 1979 c. 102 s.
236 (1);
1985 a. 29.
76.125
76.125
Net tax rate for commercial and manufacturing property. 76.125(1)(1)
Using the statement of assessments under s.
70.53 and the statement of taxes under s.
69.61, the department shall determine the net rate of taxation of commercial property under s.
70.32 (2) (a) 2., of manufacturing property under s.
70.32 (2) (a) 3. and of personal property under s.
70.30 as provided in subs.
(2) to
(6). The department shall enter that rate on the records of the department.
76.125(2)
(2) For each taxation district add the assessed values of the property specified in sub.
(1).
76.125(3)
(3) Multiply the amount under sub.
(2) by the taxation district's net tax rate.
76.125(4)
(4) Add the amounts under sub.
(3) for all taxation districts.
76.125(5)
(5) Determine the value, as equalized under s.
70.57, of all the property in this state of the types specified in sub.
(1).
76.125(6)
(6) Divide the amount under sub.
(4) by the amount under sub.
(5).
76.126
76.126
Average net rate of taxation. The department shall compute the average net rate of taxation by subtracting the aggregate state property tax credits paid under s.
79.10 from the aggregate tax determined under s.
76.11 and dividing that result by the state assessment of the general property of the state upon which those taxes were levied. The department shall enter that rate upon the department's records.
76.126 History
History: 1987 a. 399.
76.13
76.13
Levy; tax roll; lien. 76.13(1)(1)
The department shall compute and levy a tax upon the property of each company defined in s.
76.02, as assessed in the manner specified in ss.
76.07 and
76.08, at the average net rate of taxation determined under s.
76.126. The amount of tax to be paid by each such company shall be extended upon a tax roll opposite the description of the property of the respective companies. The tax rolls for all companies required to be assessed on or before August 1 in each year under s.
76.07 (1) shall be completed on or before August 10, and for all companies required to be assessed on or before September 15 in each year under s.
76.07 (1) shall be completed on or before October 1; and the department shall thereupon attach to each such roll a certificate signed by the secretary of revenue, which shall be as follows:
“I hereby certify that the foregoing tax roll includes the property of all railroad companies, air carrier companies, conservation and regulation companies or pipeline companies, as the case may be, defined in s.
76.02, liable to taxation in this state; that the valuation of the property of each company as set down in said tax roll is the full market value thereof as assessed by the department of revenue, except as changed by court judgment, and that the taxes thereon charged in said tax roll have been assessed and levied at the average net rate of taxation in this state, as required by law".
76.13(2)
(2) Every tax roll upon completion shall be delivered to 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 percent per year and at 1.5 percent 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) 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.
76.13(2a)
(2a) Taxes levied under this section shall be paid to the department in semiannual installments, on May 10 and November 10, on a partially estimated basis. The May 10 payment shall be at least 50 percent of the total tax assessed for the previous calendar year or 40 percent of the tax assessed for the current calendar year. Any amounts not paid when due shall become delinquent and shall be subject to interest under s.
76.14. The payment of 25 percent 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 thereof ultimately required to be paid shall bear interest from the original due date to the date the appeal becomes final at the rate of 12 percent per year and at 1.5 percent per month thereafter until paid. Companies with a tax liability under this section of less than $2,000 are not required to make semiannual payments but shall pay the full amount of taxes due on or before November 10.
76.13(3)
(3) If the Dane County circuit court, after such roll is delivered to the secretary of administration, increases or decreases the assessment of any company, the department shall immediately redetermine the tax of the company on the basis of the revised assessment, and shall certify and deliver the revised assessment to the secretary of administration as a revision of the tax roll. If the amount of tax upon the assessment as determined by the court is less than the amount paid by the company, the secretary of administration shall refund the excess to the company with interest at the rate of 9 percent per year. If the amount of the tax upon the assessment as determined by the court is in excess of the amount of the tax as determined by the department, interest shall be paid on the additional amount at the rate of 12 percent per year from the date of entry of judgment to the date the judgment becomes final, and at 1.5 percent per month thereafter until paid.
76.14
76.14
Remedies for nonpayment of taxes. All taxes levied under this subchapter upon the property of any company defined in s.
76.02, which are not paid at the time provided by law, shall thereupon become delinquent and bear interest at the rate of 1.5 percent per month until actually paid. Upon a showing by the department under s.
73.16 (4), the failure of any such company to pay the taxes and interest so required of the company within 60 days after the entry of final judgment dismissing in whole or in part any action of the company to restrain or set aside a tax, or the failure of the company within 60 days after the entry of final judgment in favor of the state for the taxes and interest to pay the judgment shall be cause for forfeiture of all the rights, privileges and franchises granted by special charter or obtained under general laws, by or under which the company is organized and its business is operated. The attorney general upon the showing by the department under s.
73.16 (4) shall proceed by action to have forfeiture of such rights, privileges and franchises of the company duly declared. Any such company, at any time before the final judgment for forfeiture of such rights, privileges and franchises is rendered, may be permitted, absent a showing by the department under s.
73.16 (4), to pay the taxes, interest and the costs of the action upon special application to the court in which the action is pending upon such terms as the court directs. Section
71.91, as it applies to the collection of delinquent taxes under ch.
71, applies to the collection of delinquent taxes under this subchapter.
76.15
76.15
Reassessment. 76.15(1)(1)
If any tax levied under the provisions of s.
76.13 shall be adjudged illegal and nonenforceable, or shall be set aside by any court of the state of competent jurisdiction, it shall be the duty of the department, whether any part of the taxes assessed and levied have been paid or not, to forthwith reascertain and redetermine the value of the property of the companies or the value of the general property of the state or the average rate of taxation throughout the state as may be required; and when such reascertainment and redetermination has been made, to make a duplicate of the original assessment roll and to extend the taxes thereon according to such reassessment, and when such duplicate roll has been made and the taxes extended thereon in the manner provided in this section, it shall be of the same force and effect as the original assessment made in accordance with law. The proceedings for such reassessment and for the extension, payment and collection of taxes upon such duplicate assessment roll shall be conducted in the method originally provided for as near as may be. The department shall fix the time and place for the hearings or proceedings for the reassessment and give notice thereof by mail to the companies.
76.15(2)
(2) The power to reassess the property of any company defined in s.
76.02 and the general property of the state, and to redetermine the average rate of taxation, may be exercised under sub.
(1) as often as may be necessary until the amount of taxes legally due from any such company for any year under ss.
76.01 to
76.26 has been finally and definitely determined. Whenever any sum or part thereof, levied upon any property subject to taxation under ss.
76.01 to
76.26 so set aside has been paid and not refunded, the payment so made shall be applied upon the reassessment upon the property, and the reassessment of taxes to that extent shall be deemed to be satisfied. When the tax roll on the reassessment is completed and delivered to the secretary of administration, the department shall immediately notify by certified mail each of the several companies taxed to pay the amount of the taxes extended on the tax roll within 30 days.
76.16
76.16
Separate valuation of repair facilities, docks, piers, wharves, ore yards, elevators, car ferries and oil pipeline terminal facilities. After the property of a company is first valued as a whole, if any repair facilities, docks, ore yards, piers, wharves, grain elevators or car ferries used in transferring freight or passengers between cars and vessels or transfer of freight cars located on car ferries, or if any oil pipeline terminal facilities shall be included in such valuation, then for the purpose of accounting to the proper taxation districts, the department shall make a separate valuation of each such repair facility, dock, ore yard, pier, wharf, grain elevator, including the approaches thereto, or car ferries and of each oil pipeline terminal facility. As used herein, an approach shall be an immediate access facility commencing at the switching point which leads primarily to the terminal facility. For the purpose of defining the oil pipeline terminal facilities affected by this section, such facilities shall begin where the incoming pipeline enters the terminal storage facility site.
76.17
76.17
Immaterial irregularities. No tax assessed upon any of the general property of the state and no average rate determined by said department as herein required, shall be held invalid on account of any assessment or tax roll not having been made or proceedings had within the time required by law, or on account of the property having been assessed without the name of the owner, or in the name of any corporation or person other than the owner, or on account of any other irregularity, informality or omission, if the method and manner of ascertaining and determining the average rate of taxation on property in this state is in substantial accordance with law.
76.18
76.18
Presumption of regularity. The proceedings of the department shall be presumed to be regular and the determination of the department shall not be impaired, vitiated or set aside by any court upon any grounds not affecting the substantial justice of the tax. The provisions in this subchapter prescribing a date or period at or within which an act shall be performed or determination made by the department shall be deemed directory only, and no failure to perform any such act or make such determination at or within the time prescribed therefor shall affect the validity of such act or of any determination made by the department, unless it appears that substantial injustice has resulted therefrom. Nothing in this subchapter shall preclude the court in any proceeding before it under s.
76.08 from redetermining the assessment of the property of any company defined in s.
76.02 when in the judgment of the court the assessment should be substantially less or more than the assessment as determined by the department.
76.18 History
History: 1979 c. 102 s.
236 (1).
76.22
76.22
Tax lien; sale. 76.22(1)(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) 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.
76.22(2)
(2) The action to recover taxes and interest and to enforce the same as a lien shall be an action in equity and shall be commenced and carried on and judgment entered according to the laws of the state and the rules and practice of courts of equity so far as applicable. No reference shall be made to take testimony or to hear, try and determine the issues of fact in the action. The judgment shall fix the amount of taxes and interest, adjudge the same a lien on the property of the company and provide for the sale of such property in 90 days after the entry of judgment upon publication of the notice of sale as a class 3 notice, under ch.
985. The judgment shall bear interest at the rate of 10 percent per year from the date of entry until finally paid.
76.22(3)
(3) The secretary of administration for and in the name of the state may bid at the sale and the state may become the purchaser of the property of any such company under a judgment for its sale for taxes, interest, and costs.
76.23
76.23
Exemption from other taxation. The taxes imposed by this chapter upon the property of the companies defined in s.
76.02 shall be in lieu of all other taxes on such property necessarily used in the operation of the business of such companies in this state, except that the companies shall be subject to special assessment for local improvements in cities, villages and towns. If a general structure is used in part for operating the business of any company defined in s.
76.02 and in part for nonoperating purposes, that general structure shall be assessed for taxation under this chapter at the percentage of its full market value that fairly measures and represents the extent of its use for operating purposes and the balance shall be subject to local assessment and taxation, except that the entire general structure is subject to special assessments for local improvements. All property not necessarily used in operating the business of any company defined in s.
76.02 is exempted from taxation under this chapter and is subject to local assessment and taxation. The taxes so imposed and paid by such companies shall also be in lieu of all taxes on the shares of stock of such companies owned or held by individuals of this state and such shares of stock in the hands of individuals shall be exempt from further taxation.
76.23 History
History: 1981 c. 20;
1993 a. 246.
76.23 Annotation
Freight houses constructed on railroad property by a railroad that were used by various companies for unloading and loading freight cars, where no storage took place, were necessarily used in the operation of the railroad and were not subject to local taxation. Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Co. v. City of Milwaukee,
47 Wis. 2d 88,
176 N.W.2d 580 (1970).
76.24
76.24
Distribution of revenue. 76.24(1)(1)
All taxes collected from companies defined in s.
76.02 under this subchapter shall be transmitted by the department to the secretary of administration and become a part of the general fund for the use of the state, except that taxes paid into the state treasury by any air carrier or railroad company shall be deposited in the transportation fund.
76.24(2)(a)(a) All taxes paid by any railroad company derived from or apportionable to repair facilities, docks, ore yards, piers, wharves, grain elevators, and their approaches, or car ferries on the basis of the separate valuation provided for in s.
76.16, shall be distributed annually from the transportation fund to the towns, villages, and cities in which they are located, pursuant to certification made by the department of revenue on or before August 15. Beginning with amounts distributed in 2011, the amount distributed to any town, village, or city under this paragraph may not be less than the amount distributed to it in 2010 under this paragraph.
76.24(2)(am)1.1. All taxes paid by any pipeline company derived from or apportionable to oil pipeline terminal facilities on the basis of the separate valuation under s.
76.16 shall be distributed annually from the appropriation under s.
20.855 (4) (bm) to the towns, villages, and cities in which the facilities are located, pursuant to certification made by the department of revenue no later than November 1.
76.24(2)(am)2.
2. If a municipality received a distribution under subd.
1. in 2011, the amount that the municipality receives under subd.
1. in 2013, and in each year thereafter, shall be no less than the amount received in 2011, except that, if the annual amount of the tax paid under this subchapter by the pipeline company with oil pipeline terminal facilities in the municipality is less than 200 percent of the amount of the payment the municipality received in 2011 attributable to the pipeline company, the amount shall be no less than an amount equal to 50 percent of the annual total tax paid under this subchapter by the pipeline company with oil pipeline terminal facilities in the municipality.
76.24(2)(b)
(b) If the state is compelled to refund in whole or in part any of the taxes which have been distributed to municipalities under par.
(a), such municipalities shall repay to the state for deposit in the transportation fund the amount of such tax so received by them, and the department of administration shall certify the amounts to be repaid to the state to the county clerks of the counties in which such municipalities are located for levy and collection from the municipalities as other state taxes are levied and collected.
76.24(2)(bm)
(bm) If the state is compelled to refund in whole or in part any of the taxes which have been distributed to municipalities under par.
(am), the municipalities shall repay to the state, for deposit in the general fund, the amount of such tax received by them, and the department of administration shall certify the amounts to be repaid to the state to the county clerks of the counties in which the municipalities are located for levy and collection from the municipalities as other state taxes are levied and collected.
76.24(2)(c)
(c) If an error in any past distribution roll is discovered, the same may be corrected by making the proper addition to or subtraction from any of the 3 subsequent distribution rolls.
76.25
76.25
Experts and employees. The department is authorized and empowered to employ expert engineers, expert accountants and such clerks and assistants as may be necessary to properly perform the duties imposed by this subchapter and in the work of the valuation and taxation of the property of the companies.
76.25 History
History: 1979 c. 102 s.
236 (1).
76.26
76.26
Court fees. The fees of the sheriff and one deputy, and of the clerk of the court and one deputy, for attendance upon the court for the trial of any action under ss.
76.01 to
76.26 shall be audited by the department of administration upon the certification of said clerk and approval by the attorney general, paid out of the state treasury and charged to the appropriation for circuit courts.
76.26 History
History: 1971 c. 125 s.
521.
76.28
76.28
License fee for light, heat and power companies. 76.28(1)(1)
Definitions. In this section:
76.28(1)(a)
(a) “Apportionment factor" means a fraction the numerator of which is the sum of the property factor, the payroll factor and the sales factor and the denominator of which is the number 3.
76.28(1)(b)
(b) “Book cost of utility plant" has the meaning set forth in the uniform system of accounts established by the public service commission.
