Chapter 70

70.395(2)(hw) (hw) A recipient of a discretionary payment under par. (f) or (g), sub. (3) or ss. 293.65 (5) and 295.61 (9) or any payment under par. (d) that is restricted to mining-related purposes who uses the payment for attorney fees may do so only for the purposes under par. (g) 6. and for processing mining-related permits or other approvals required by the municipality. The board shall recoup or withhold payments that are used or proposed to be used by the recipient for attorney fees except as authorized under this paragraph. The board may not limit the hourly rate of attorney fees for which the recipient uses the payment to a level below the hourly rate that is commonly charged for similar services.

70.395(2)(i) (i) The board may require financial audits of all recipients of payments made under pars. (d) to (g). The board shall require that all funds received under pars. (d) to (g) be placed in a segregated account. The financial audit may be conducted as part of a municipality’s or county’s annual audit, if one is conducted. The cost of the audits shall be paid by the board from the appropriation under s. 20.566 (7) (g).

70.395(2)(j) (j) Prior to the beginning of a fiscal year, the board shall certify to the department of administration for payment from the investment and local impact fund any sum necessary for the department of natural resources to make payments under s. 289.68 (3) for the long-term care of mining waste sites, if moneys in the waste management fund are insufficient to make complete payments during that fiscal year, but this sum may not exceed the balance in the waste management fund at the beginning of that fiscal year or 50 percent of the balance in the investment and local impact fund at the beginning of that fiscal year, whichever amount is greater.

70.395(2)(k) (k) Prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the board shall certify to the department of administration for payment from the investment and local impact fund any sum necessary for the department of natural resources to make payments under s. 292.31 for the environmental repair of mining waste sites, if moneys in the environmental fund that are available for environmental repair are insufficient to make complete payments during that fiscal year. This sum may not exceed the balance in the environmental fund at the beginning of that fiscal year or 50 percent of the balance in the investment and local impact fund at the beginning of that fiscal year, whichever amount is greater.

70.395(3) (3) Federal revenue distribution. The investment and local impact fund board shall distribute federal mining revenue received by the state from the sales, bonuses, royalties and rentals of federal public lands located within the state. The distribution of such federal revenues by the board shall give priority to those municipalities socially or economically impacted by mining on such federal lands and shall be used for planning, construction and maintenance of public facilities or provision of public services. The funds distributed under this subsection may be used only for mining-related purposes.

70.395 History History: 1977 c. 31, 185, 423; 1979 c. 34 s. 2102 (46) (c); 1979 c. 63; 1979 c. 175 s. 53; 1981 c. 86 ss. 27 to 36, 71; 1981 c. 374 s. 150; 1983 a. 27 ss. 1184u to 1185r, 2202 (38) and (45); 1983 a. 410 ss. 22, 2202 (38); 1985 a. 29 ss. 1214s to 1214z, 3200 (46) (a); 1985 a. 332 s. 253; 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 39, 259; 1995 a. 27, 227; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 32; 2013 a. 1; 2021 a. 240 s. 30.

70.395 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. Tax 13, Wis. adm. code.

70.395 Annotation The legislature has vested the Investment and Local Impact Fund Board with the power to make discretionary distributions under sub. (2) (g). Kammes v. Wisconsin Mining Investment & Local Impact Fund Board, 115 Wis. 2d 144, 340 N.W.2d 206 (Ct. App. 1983).

70.395 Annotation Grants under this section would not violate the public purpose doctrine and the internal improvements clause of the Wisconsin Constitution. 70 Atty. Gen. 48.

70.396 70.396 Use of metalliferous mining tax payments by counties. Counties receiving payments under s. 70.395 (2) (d) 1. shall expend the funds for any or all of the following uses:

70.396(1) (1) For mining-related purposes.

70.396(2) (2) Funds may be placed in the county mining investment fund for investment by the state investment board or may be placed in a segregated account with a financial institution located in the state. The funds may be withdrawn only at a later date to alleviate impacts associated with the closing of a metalliferous mine in the county or the curtailment of metalliferous mining activity in the county. If a county deposits mining impact funds in the county mining investment fund, withdrawals from the fund shall be subject to the restrictions described under s. 25.65 (4). If a county deposits mining impact funds with a financial institution located in this state, withdrawals made within 10 years of deposit shall be subject to the review and approval of the investment and local impact fund board. The county shall notify the board of withdrawals made 10 years after deposit. The county shall report annually to the impact board any deposits, withdrawals and use of mining impact funds in that year.

70.396(3) (3) A maximum of $25,000 annually may be distributed by a county to any town, city or village in the county where the extraction of metalliferous minerals is occurring.

70.396 History History: 1977 c. 423; 1981 c. 87; 1985 a. 29; 1991 a. 259.

70.3965 70.3965 Fund administrative fee. There is imposed an investment and local impact fund administrative fee on each person that has gross proceeds. On or before July 31 the department shall calculate the fee imposed on each such person by dividing the person’s gross proceeds for the previous year by the total gross proceeds of all persons for that year and by multiplying the resulting fraction by the amount expended under s. 20.566 (7) (g) for the previous fiscal year. Each person who is subject to a fee under this section shall pay that fee on or before August 15.

70.3965 History History: 1995 a. 27.

70.397 70.397 Oil and gas severance tax.

70.397(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

70.397(1)(a) (a) “Department” means the department of revenue.

70.397(1)(b) (b) “Market value” means the sales price or market value of oil or gas at the mouth of the well, except that if the oil or gas is exchanged for something other than cash, if there is no sale between the time of severance and the due date of the tax or if the department determines that the oil or gas was not sold in an arm’s length transaction, “market value” means the value determined by the department based upon a consideration of the sales price of oil or gas of similar quality.

70.397(1)(c) (c) “Producer” means any person owning, controlling, managing or leasing any oil or gas property, any person who severs oil or gas from the soil or water and any person owning a royalty or other interest in oil or gas.

70.397(2) (2) Imposition. A severance tax is imposed upon each producer who severs oil or gas from the soil or water of this state. The amount of the tax is 7 percent of the market value of the total production of oil or gas during the previous year. If more than one producer severs oil or gas at a location, the tax imposed under this section is levied upon the producers of oil or gas in the proportion of their ownership at the time of severance but shall be paid by the person in charge of the production operation, who may deduct the amount of tax imposed upon a producer from the payments due that producer.

70.397(3) (3) Reports; administration.

70.397(3)(a) (a) Sections 70.38 (1), 70.385 and 70.39, as they apply to the tax under s. 70.375 (2m), apply to the tax under this section. If a producer severs oil or gas from more than one location in this state, the producer shall submit a report for each location separately.

70.397(3)(b) (b) Sections 71.74 (2), (9), (11), (14) and (15), 71.77, 71.78, 71.80 (6), 71.83 (1) (a) 1. and 2. and (2) (a) 2. and 3. and 71.85 (2), as they apply to the taxes under ch. 71, apply to the tax under this section.

70.397(3)(c) (c) Any person feeling aggrieved by an assessment notice under this section may, within 60 days after receipt of the notice, file with the department a petition for redetermination setting forth the person’s objections to the assessment. In the petition, the person may request an informal conference with representatives of the department. The secretary of revenue shall act on the petition within 90 days after receipt of the petition for redetermination. If the person is aggrieved by the secretary’s denial of the petition, the person may appeal to the tax appeals commission if the appeal is filed with the commission within 30 days after the petition is denied.

70.397(3)(d) (d) No petition for redetermination may be filed, acted upon or appealed unless the tax objected to is paid by the due date.

70.397(3)(e) (e) The department shall administer the tax under this section.

70.397 History History: 1991 a. 262.

70.40 70.40 Occupational tax on iron ore concentrates.

70.40(1) (1) Every person operating an iron ore concentrates dock in this state shall on or before January 31 of each year pay an annual occupational tax equal to 5 cents per ton upon all iron ore concentrates handled by or over the dock during the year ending on the December 31 which is 2 years prior to the payment due date. In this section “dock” means a wharf or platform for the loading or unloading of materials to or from ships.

70.40(2) (2) Every person on whom a tax is imposed by sub. (1) shall, on May 1 of each year, furnish to the assessor of the town, city or village in which the dock is situated, a full and true list or statement of all iron ore concentrates received or handled by the person during the year ending on April 30 of such year. Beginning in 1979, the list shall be furnished on February 1 and apply to the year ending on the preceding December 31. Any such person who willfully fails or refuses to furnish the list or statement or who knowingly makes or furnishes a false or incorrect list or statement, shall be fined not exceeding $1,000.

70.40(3) (3) The tax provided for in this section shall be separately assessed to the person chargeable therewith by the assessor and shall be included in the assessment roll annually submitted by the assessor to the town, village or city clerk and shall be entered by the clerk on the tax roll. The tax is a special tax under ch. 74 and shall be deductible from gross income for income or franchise tax purposes as personal property taxes are deductible by corporations in computing net income under s. 71.26 (2). Taxes collected under this section shall be divided as follows: 30 percent to the state general fund and 70 percent to the town, city or village in which the taxes are collected, which shall be remitted and accounted for in the same manner as the state and county taxes collected from property are remitted and paid.

70.40(4) (4) If the assessor or board of review has reason to believe that the list or statement made by any person is incorrect, or when any such person fails or refuses to furnish a list or statement as required by law, the assessor or board of review shall place on the assessment roll such assessment against the person as they deem true and just. If such change or assessment is made by the assessor, the assessor shall give written notice of the amount of the assessment at least 6 days before the first or some adjourned meeting of the board of review. If such change or assessment is made by the board of review, notice shall be given in time to allow the person to appear and be heard before the board of review in relation to the assessment. Notice may be served as a circuit court summons is served or by registered mail.

70.40(5) (5) All laws not in conflict with this section relating to the assessment, collection and payment of personal property taxes and the correction of errors in assessment and tax rolls, shall apply to the tax imposed in this section.

70.40 History History: 1977 c. 29, 418; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 27; 1987 a. 312 s. 17; 1987 a. 378, 403; 1991 a. 39.

70.40 Annotation Imposition by a city of a tax under this section was precluded by federal law as being discriminatory against railroads. Burlington Northern R.R. v. City of Superior, 932 F.2d 1185 (1991).

70.42 70.42 Occupation tax on coal.

70.42(1) (1) Every person operating a coal dock in this state, other than a dock used solely in connection with an industry and handling no coal except that consumed by the industry, shall on or before January 31 of each year pay an annual occupation tax of a sum equal to 5 cents per ton upon all bituminous and subbituminous coal, coke and briquettes, and upon all petroleum carbon, coke and briquettes, and 7 cents per ton upon all anthracite coal, coke and briquettes handled by or over such coal dock, during the preceding year ending April 30 except that as of December 15, 1979, such tax shall apply to the year ending on the December 31 which is 2 years prior to the payment due date. Such coal, petroleum carbon, coke and briquettes shall be exempt from all other taxation, either state or municipal.

70.42(2) (2) Every person on whom a tax is imposed by sub. (1) shall on February 1 of each year furnish to the assessor of the town, city or village within which the coal dock is situated, a full and true list or statement of all coal, specifying the respective amounts and different kinds, received in or on, or handled by or over the coal dock during the year immediately preceding January 1 of the year in which the list or statement is to be made. Any operator of a coal dock who fails or refuses to furnish the list or statement or who knowingly makes or furnishes a false or incorrect list or statement, shall be fined not exceeding $1,000.

70.42(3) (3) The tax provided for in this section shall be separately assessed to the person chargeable therewith by the assessor and shall be included in the assessment roll annually submitted by the assessor to the town, village or city clerk and shall be entered by the clerk on the tax roll. The tax is a special tax under ch. 74 and when paid shall be deductible from gross income for income or franchise tax purposes as personal property taxes are deductible by corporations in computing net income under s. 71.26 (2). Taxes collected under this section shall be divided as follows: 10 percent to the state, 20 percent to the county, and 70 percent to the town, city or village in which the taxes are collected, which shall be remitted and accounted for in the same manner as the state and county taxes collected from property are remitted and paid.

70.42(4) (4) If the assessor or board of review has reason to believe that the list or statement made by any person is incorrect, or when any such person has failed or refused to furnish a list or statement as required by law, the assessor or board of review shall place on the assessment roll such taxes against such person as they deem true and just, and in case such change or assessment is made by the assessor, the assessor shall give written notice of the amount of such assessment at least 6 days before the first or some adjourned meeting of the board of review; in case such change or assessment is made by the board of review, notice shall be given in time to allow such person to appear and be heard before the board of review in relation to said assessment; said notice may be served as a circuit court summons is served or by registered mail.

70.42(5) (5) All laws not in conflict with this section relating to the assessment, collection and payment of personal property taxes, the correction of errors in assessment and tax rolls, shall apply to the tax imposed under this section.

70.42 History History: 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 89; 1987 a. 27; 1987 a. 312 s. 17; 1987 a. 378, 403; 1991 a. 39.

70.421 70.421 Occupational tax on petroleum and petroleum products refined in this state.

70.421(1) (1) Every person operating a crude oil refinery in this state, shall on or before January 31 of each year pay an annual occupation tax of a sum equal to 5 cents per ton upon all crude oil handled during the preceding year ending April 30 except that as of December 15, 1979, such tax shall apply to the year ending the December 31 which is 2 years prior to the payment due date. All such crude oil so handled and all petroleum products refined therefrom, in the possession of the refinery, shall be exempt from all personal property taxation, either state or municipal.

70.421(2) (2) Every person on whom a tax is imposed by sub. (1) shall on February 1 of each year furnish to the assessor of the town, city or village within which the refinery is situated, a full and true list or statement of all crude oil handled and all petroleum products refined specifying the respective amounts and different kinds, refined by the refinery during the year immediately preceding January 1 of the year in which the list or statement is to be made. Any operator of a refinery who fails or refuses to furnish the list or statement or who knowingly makes or furnishes a false or incorrect list or statement, shall be fined not exceeding $1,000.

70.421(3) (3) The tax provided for shall be separately assessed to the person chargeable therewith by the assessor and shall be included in the assessment roll annually submitted by such assessor to the town, village or city clerk and shall be entered by said clerk on the tax roll. Such tax shall be paid and collected in the taxing district where such refinery is situated, and shall be deductible from gross income for income or franchise tax purposes in the same manner as personal property taxes are deductible by corporations in computing net income under s. 71.26 (2). Such tax is a special tax under ch. 74 and the entire proceeds of such tax shall be retained by such taxing district.

70.421(4) (4) If the assessor or board of review has reason to believe that the list or statement made by any person is incorrect, or when any such person has failed or refused to furnish a list or statement as required by law, the assessor or board of review shall place on the assessment roll such taxes against such person as the assessor or board of review deems true and just, and in case such change or assessment is made by the assessor, the assessor shall give written notice of the amount of such assessment at least 6 days before the first or some adjourned meeting of the board of review; in case such change or assessment is made by the board of review, notice shall be given in time to allow such person to appear and be heard before the board of review in relation to said assessment; said notice may be served as a circuit court summons is served or by registered mail.

70.421(5) (5) All laws not in conflict with this section relating to the assessment, collection and payment of personal property taxes and the correction of errors in assessment and tax rolls, shall apply to the tax herein imposed.

70.421(6) (6) This section shall apply to the year ending April 30, 1957, and subsequent years.

70.421 History History: 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 89; 1987 a. 27; 1987 a. 312 s. 17; 1987 a. 378, 403; 1991 a. 39, 316.

70.43 70.43 Correction of errors by assessors.

70.43(1) (1) In this section, “palpable error” means an error under s. 74.33 (1).

70.43(2) (2) If the assessor discovers a palpable error in the assessment of a tract of real estate or an item of personal property, for personal property assessments made before January 1, 2024, that results in the tract or property having an inaccurate assessment for the preceding year, the assessor shall correct that error by adding to or subtracting from the assessment for the preceding year. The result shall be the true assessed value of the property for the preceding year. The assessor shall make a marginal note of the correction on that year’s assessment roll.

70.43(3) (3) The dollar amount of the adjustment determined in the correction under sub. (2) shall be referred to the board of review and, if certified by that board, shall be entered in a separate section of the current assessment roll, as prescribed by the department of revenue, and shall be used to determine the amount of additional taxes to be collected or taxes to be refunded. The dollar amount of the adjustment may be appealed to the board of review in the same manner as other assessments. The taxes to be collected or refunded shall be determined on the basis of the net tax rate of the previous year, taking into account credits under s. 79.10. The taxes to be collected or refunded shall be reflected on the tax roll in the same manner as omitted property under s. 70.44, but any such adjustment may not be carried forward to future years. The governing body of the taxation district shall proceed under s. 74.41.

70.43(4) (4) As soon as practicable, the assessor shall provide written notice of the correction to the person assessed. That notice shall include information regarding that person’s appeal rights to the board of review.

70.43 History History: 1983 a. 300; 1987 a. 378; 1991 a. 39; 2023 a. 12.

70.43 Annotation This section provides a taxpayer with a substantive right and procedure to recover unlawful taxes. IBM Credit Corp. v. Village of Allouez, 188 Wis. 2d 143, 524 N.W.2d 132 (1994).

70.44 70.44 Assessment; property omitted.

70.44(1) (1) Real property omitted from assessment in any of the 2 next previous years or personal property assessments made before January 1, 2024, and omitted from any of the 2 next previous years, unless previously reassessed for the same year or years, shall be entered once additionally for each previous year of such omission, designating each such additional entry as omitted for the year of omission and affixing a just valuation to each entry for a former year as the same should then have been assessed according to the assessor’s best judgment, and taxes shall be apportioned, using the net tax rate as provided in s. 70.43, and collected on the tax roll for such entry. This section shall not apply to manufacturing property assessed by the department of revenue under s. 70.995.

70.44(2) (2) Any property assessment increased by a local board of review under s. 70.511 shall be entered in the assessment roll as prescribed under sub. (1).

70.44(3) (3) As soon as practicable, the assessor shall provide written notice concerning the discovery of property omitted from assessment and concerning that person’s appeal rights to the board of review to the owner of the property.

70.44 History History: 1975 c. 39; 1983 a. 300; 1987 a. 378; 1991 a. 316; 1997 a. 35, 250; 1999 a. 32; 2023 a. 12.

70.45 70.45 Return and examination of rolls. When the assessment rolls have been completed in cities of the 1st class, they shall be delivered to the commissioner of assessments, in all other cities to the city clerk, in villages to the village clerk and in towns to the town clerk. At least 15 days before the first day on which the assessment rolls are open for examination, these officials shall have published a class 1 notice if applicable, or posted notice, under ch. 985, in anticipation of the roll delivery as provided in s. 70.50, that on certain days, therein named, the assessment rolls will be open for examination by the taxable inhabitants, which notice may assign a day or days for each ward, where there are separate assessment rolls for wards, for the inspection of rolls. The assessor shall be present for at least 2 hours while the assessment roll is open for inspection. Instructional material under s. 73.03 (54) shall be available at the meeting. On examination the commissioner of assessments, assessor or assessors may make changes that are necessary to perfect the assessment roll or rolls, and after the corrections are made the roll or rolls shall be submitted by the commissioner of assessments or clerk of the municipality to the board of review.

70.45 History History: 1981 c. 20; 1991 a. 156; 1997 a. 237; 1999 a. 32.

70.46 70.46 Boards of review; members; organization.

70.46(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (1m) and s. 70.99, the supervisors and clerk of each town, the mayor, clerk and such other officers, other than assessors, as the common council of each city by ordinance determines, the president, clerk and such other officers, other than the assessor, as the board of trustees of each village by ordinance determines, shall constitute a board of review for the town, city or village. In cities of the 1st class the board of review shall by ordinance in lieu of the foregoing consist of 5 to 9 residents of the city, none of whom may occupy any public office or be publicly employed. The members shall be appointed by the mayor of the city with the approval of the common council and shall hold office as members of the board for staggered 5-year terms. Subject to sub. (1m), in all other towns, cities and villages the board of review may by ordinance in lieu of the foregoing consist of any number of town, city or village residents and may include public officers and public employees. The ordinance shall specify the manner of appointment. The town board, common council or village board shall fix, by ordinance, the salaries of the members of the board of review. No board of review member may serve on a county board of review to review any assessment made by a county assessor unless appointed as provided in s. 70.99 (10).

70.46(1a) (1a) Whenever the duties of assessor are performed by one of the officers named to the board of review by sub. (1) then the governing body shall by ordinance designate another officer to serve on the board instead of the officer who performs the duties of assessor.

70.46(1m) (1m) 

70.46(1m)(a) (a) A person who is appointed to the office of town clerk, town treasurer or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.30 (1e) may not serve on a board of review under sub. (1).

70.46(1m)(b) (b) If a town board of review under sub. (1) had as a member a person who held the elective office of town clerk, town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, and the town appoints a person to hold one or more of these offices under s. 60.30 (1e), the town board shall fill the seat on the board of review formerly held by an elective office holder by an elector of the town.

70.46(2) (2) The town, city or village clerk on such board of review and in cities of the first class the commissioner of assessments on such board of review or any person on the commissioner’s staff designated by the commissioner shall be the clerk thereof and keep an accurate record of all its proceedings.

70.46(3) (3) The members of such board, except members who are full time employees or officers of the town, village or city, shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by resolution or ordinance of the town board, village board or common council.

70.46(4) (4) No board of review may be constituted unless at least one member completes in each year a training session under s. 73.03 (55). The municipal clerk shall provide an affidavit to the department of revenue stating whether the requirement under this subsection has been fulfilled.

70.46 History History: 1971 c. 180; 1973 c. 90; 1975 c. 427; 1979 c. 58; 1991 a. 156, 316; 1995 a. 34; 1997 a. 237; 1999 a. 32; 2021 a. 1.

70.46 Annotation Prejudice of a board of review is not shown by the fact that the members are taxpayers. State ex rel. Berg Equipment Corp. v. Town of Spencer Board of Review, 53 Wis. 2d 233, 191 N.W.2d 892 (1971).

70.46 Annotation A town clerk’s compensation may be increased for service on the board of review if the clerk has been designated part-time by the town meeting. 79 Atty. Gen. 176.

70.47 70.47 Board of review proceedings.

70.47(1) (1) Time and place of meeting. The board of review shall meet annually at any time during the 45-day period beginning on the 4th Monday of April, but no sooner than 7 days after the last day on which the assessment roll is open for examination under s. 70.45. In towns and villages the board shall meet at the town or village hall or some place designated by the town or village board. If there is no such hall, it shall meet at the clerk’s office, or in towns at the place where the last annual town meeting was held. In cities the board shall meet at the council chamber or some place designated by the council and in cities of the 1st class in some place designated by the commissioner of assessments of such cities. A majority shall constitute a quorum except that 2 members may hold any hearing of the evidence required to be held by such board under subs. (8) and (10), if the requirements of sub. (9) are met.

70.47(2) (2) Notice. At least 15 days before the first session of the board of review, or at least 30 days before the first session of the board of review in any year in which the taxation district conducts a revaluation under s. 70.05, the clerk of the board shall publish a class 1 notice under ch. 985 of the time and place of the first meeting of the board under sub. (3) and of the requirements under sub. (7) (aa) and (ac) to (af). A taxpayer who shows that the clerk failed to publish the notice under this subsection may file a claim under s. 74.37.

70.47(2m) (2m) Open meetings. All meetings of the board of review shall be publicly held and open to all citizens at all times. No formal action of any kind shall be introduced, deliberated upon or adopted at any closed session or meeting of a board of review.

70.47(3) (3) Sessions.

70.47(3)(a) (a) At its first meeting, the board of review:

70.47(3)(a)1. 1. Shall receive the assessment roll and sworn statements from the clerk.

70.47(3)(a)2. 2. Shall be in session at least 2 hours for taxpayers to appear and examine the assessment roll and other assessment data.

70.47(3)(a)3. 3. Shall schedule for hearing each written objection that it receives during the first 2 hours of the meeting or that it received prior to the first meeting.

70.47(3)(a)4. 4. Shall grant a waiver of the 48-hour notice of an intent to file a written or oral objection if a property owner who does not meet the notice requirement appears before the board during the first 2 hours of the meeting, shows good cause for failure to meet the 48-hour notice requirement and files a written objection.

70.47(3)(a)5. 5. May hear any written objections if the board gave notice of the hearing to the property owner and the assessor at least 48 hours before the beginning of the scheduled meeting or if both the property owner and the assessor waive the 48-hour notice requirement.