Monday, December 17, 2012
Caledonia residents can expect to receive their bills any day.
If you haven’t received your tax bill yet, you soon will. The bills were mailed Thursday. Taxpayers are not expected to pay significantly more for the village portion of their taxes, despite an increase in the village’s mill rate. According to the village, a 15 percent drop in overall property values in the village resulted in an increase in mill rates, the amount of taxes the village levies on property owners. Total village mill rates—including state, county, Racine Unified School District, Gateway Technical and the differerent water and sewer districts in the village—range from $20.17 to $21.65 per $1000 of property value. Last year's mill rates ranged from $16.80 to $18.12. Forty-one percent of the total property taxes is for Racine …
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
It really makes me think, while watching a television series from ten years ago, how little we have changed and I have to wonder if progress really is always possible.
I recently started re-watching the entire West Wing series. I had forgotten how much I sincerely appreciate this show. The writing and acting is just outstanding. About 20 episodes per season for 7 seasons and each one is just as good as the last. Also, it is more fun watching now that I know and care significantly more than I did back then. One thing I find very disheartening, however, is that this show, a decade after it was produced, is in-your-face proof that we are simply not progressing as I would have hoped. We are socially stagnant; perhaps even regressive in some instances. Fighting the same battles, arguing the same issues – we cannot seem to get anywhere with two diametrically opposing sides. Each holds onto their fundamental …
Monday, April 16, 2012
Milwaukee mayor and gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett welcomed another endorsement, from U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, in his campaign to unseat Gov. Scott Walker. In other news, see details on the latest poll on the Democratic primary.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett picked up another endorsement Monday, from U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee), in his push to grab the Democratic nod and unseat Gov. Scott Walker in June's recall election. Voters are a little more than three weeks away from tapping Walker's Democratic challenger, and Barrett was on the campaign trail in Milwaukee touting how his administration would end Wisconsin's political civil war and restore collective bargaining and tax fairness, while fielding the endorsement from Moore. Barrett will square off against former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma) and Secretary of State Doug La Follette in a Democratic primary May 8. The winner will take on Walker on June 5. Barrett …
Monday, January 9, 2012
We sure like to talk about them, but we often leave out a few details.
I’m concerned about how politicians talk about taxes—Republicans and Democrats alike. More specifically, I’m concerned with what they don’t say. Politicians tend to ignore the interdependent cash flow relationships between lower levels of government. And, you often don’t hear about their role in that decision, the tax shifting that continues to impact these budgets and overall increases in state spending. To underscore this point, officials with the Wisconsin Taxpayer Alliance (WISTax) reported last month that state spending increased in Wisconsin and exceeded national averages in both 2011 and 2012. Our budget reserves are also among the smallest in the nation. “State spending here rose 5.8 percent in 2011 and was budgeted to grow 4.4 …
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
And look at it from a personal view.
They say the only thing that is certain in life is death and taxes. The latter has been source of angst and dismay for many of us. We’re tired of paying them, don’t see the purpose of them and don’t see the value of the services delivered by our Village, state, schools, county and utilities. While I can’t and won’t have anything to say about the politics surrounding our spending habits, I think we have an obligation to understand them. Property taxes (you’ll likely be receiving the bill in the mail tomorrow) are one of the largest sources of angst for us. Rather than writing a formal news story about your tax bill (which I’ll probably end up doing anyway), I thought I’d go another direction and show you my tax bills. I could bore you with …
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
The Village gives Myers a 25 percent discount on his tax bill because of the easements on his property, but here's how that discount affects the Village's bottom line.
Want to read more about this topic? "Like" this story on Facebook by clicking on the "like" link above this story. If we get more than 10 "likes," we'll know to do a follow-up story. By his count, Marty Kuehn, the Village assessor, said Royse Myers owns more than 221 acres. By his tally, here's how the numbers shape up. $895,800 The estimated value of the land, including the house and its 10-acre parcel which is valued at $134,300 of that total. $7,500 per acre The value of the land per acre without the 25 percent discount approved by village. $5,600 per acre The value of land per acre with the discount. $131.30 The per acre tax rate without the 25 percent discount approved by village. $98.50 Per acre tax rate with discount. $28,900 …
Friday, August 5, 2011
The debate around land use, development, jobs and taxes should not be a discussion only between a few.
UPDATE, from Jerry Griswold: Denise, attached is a copy (in the photo gallery) of my election brochure, which I personally circulated to most all of the residents who voted in the previous election. I completed no other mailings. My campaign mainly consisted of yard signs, circulating this brochure and door to door selling of my goals. If I did not represent the silet majority in the election, why did I get 60% of the vote? I won every polling place, even those in the country. Wendy clearly represented the horse people and green machine special interest groups and received only 40% of the vote. Her platform involved a small amount of development along Douglas Avenue, a strict following of the Land Use Plan, strict conformance to the …
Friday, July 29, 2011
Recession, unemployment, lack of demand takes a toll on Racine home market.
Ignorance isn’t quite bliss when it comes to your neighbors’ foreclosure. But, some area homeowners said, it’s hard to be worried about the fallout when they’re not even aware of the defaults in the first place. Besides, said Cece Metzger, there’s not much you can do about them anyway. “It is what it is,” said Metzger, who works in real estate management. “People are losing their jobs. They can’t stay in their homes.” Metzger lives in Heartland Village, a subdivision still under construction south of Highway C and east of Highway H. In this area, where the lines between Franksville, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant might seem to blur if you don’t know the boundaries, streets are dotted with “For Sale” signs, construction equipment and, on one…
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Residents in both Sturtevant and Racine turned out to listen to Congressman Paul Ryan's Path to Prosperity, ask questions, and express their thoughts.
Congressman Paul Ryan's visits to Sturtevant and Racine were noteworthy because of how they were similar more than how they might have been different. Both audiences supported Ryan's service to the area, though the Sturtevant turnout was much more supportive overall while residents in Racine were more vocal about their disagreement.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Heather Rayne Geyer takes on the tax system.
During this past weekend, my husband and I were discussing tax rates. I know, right...we are a couple of feisty whippersnappers!! Party on!! Neither of us are math geniuses or economists. In fact, I despised math and pretty much slept my way through econ. These subjects are not my forte and I will not pretend otherwise. So, this is why I decided to give myself a crash course in Tax Rates and Systems. Will someone please pass the Excedrin? As my brain cells throb and my common sense floods—I try desperately to mend our country's fiscal woes. It is no joke that our current tax system is mind-bogglingly ridiculous. But the options are also overwhelming and difficult for the lay person to completely understand. I read about proposed Flat Tax …
Mike Itzenhuiser
10:31 am on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
I have my property tax and home owners insurance included in my mortgage payment which is automatically withdrawn from my bank account. My property value dropped by 30% this year, so I got over $500 extra in my check. more ›