Politics & Government

Caledonia Tax Bills Increase This Year

Find out why and by how much.

Caledonia residents received their tax bills yesterday, which increased collectively by 3.4 percent between all of the taxing entities the Village is collecting for in 2012.

But some residents saw a total increase of 3.2 percent while others saw a total increase of 3.8 percent, depending on which utility district they live in.

The entities include: the State, County, , , Gateway Technical College, Lake Michigan Storm Water Utility, Root River Storm Water Utility, Caledonia Water and Sewer. The bill also includes charges for refuse and recycling, and offsets the tax bill by giving property owners the First Dollar Credit, and the Lottery and Gaming Credit.

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State funding to the County, Village, Gateway and Unified was cut by $5.8 million, which represents a 13.86 percent decrease on the revenue side of their budgets. Here’s how much the net tax increased or decreased for each taxing entity compared to last year:

State:  - .1 percent

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County: 1.3 percent

Village: .9 percent

Racine Unified: 7.2 percent

Gateway Technical College: 2.9 percent

Lake Michigan Storm Water Utility: .1 percent

Caledonia Utility Water: .4 percent

Caledonia Utility Sewer: .4

The state portion of the tax bill dropped .1 percent, which represents less than one percent of the total tax bill.

Despite having cut their spending to compensate for lost state funding, Racine Unified increased their tax levy and increased the net tax by. That line item represents the largest portion of the tax bill.

To make things a little more interesting, Karie Torkilsen, the Village Clerk, said the Village has seven different mills rates depending upon the sanitary and storm sewer district people live in.

Here's how that breaks down:

Root River Storm Water District

100 - RootRiver district with no sewer or water mill rate is $16.80 – 2010 was $16.20 

110 - RR water only is 17.31 – 2010 was $16.71

400 - RR sewer only is $17.09 – 2010 was $16.49

410 - RR sewer and water is 17.61 – 2010 was $17.00

Lake Michigan Storm Water District

109 - Lake Michigan no sewer or water is $17.30 – 2010 was $16.70

709 - LM sewer only is $17.60 – 2010 was 17.00

719 - LM sewer and water is $18.12 – 2010 was $17.51

Sample breakdown percentage wise for all taxing jurisdictions for a property in LM sewer and water district-

*Caledonia’s mill rate increase is only .9% barely 1%

The breakdown of all 7 mill rates with the total percentage increase is as follows (corresponding with the numbers above).

100 – 3.8 percent       109 – 3.6 percent

110 – 3.6 percent       709 – 3.4 percent

400 – 3.5 percent       719 – 3.2 percent

410 – 3.4 percent

Taxes are due for a full payment by Jan. 31. However, installment payment options allow taxpayers to pay half of their bill by Jan. 31 and the second half by July 31.


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