Washington County host links higher property tax bills to state budget and county revaluations

Unidentified Speaker, host of the WASHCO Weekly program, told listeners that many Washington County homeowners are seeing higher property tax bills this year and attributed the increases mainly to two factors: a state budget veto that left schools with higher costs and recent property revaluations across the county.

The host said the state-level action allowed school funding increases to take effect without corresponding state funding, which "left property taxpayers on the hook," and listed the taxing authorities that typically appear on a bill: the school district, city or town, county, technical college and, in some places, business improvement districts. "Property tax bills are going to go up," the host said.

The host used a personal example to illustrate local effects, saying their own bill rose about 14% because of the West Bend School District. They said Washington County officials had sought reductions on the county portion of the levy; the speaker said they originally proposed a $100,000 decrease in county property tax collections and that the county board instead adopted a $60,000 decrease.

The host explained how reassessments interact with those decisions: when property values change, each municipality's share of total taxes can shift, producing different outcomes for individual homeowners. The speaker reported the county line on their bill rose about 3.6% (roughly $25.26 for them) while the Town of Trenton line fell about 0.1% (about $1). They also offered statewide examples, saying some households saw increases in the range of $350–$400 and, in extreme cases, about $1,000.

The program closed with the host reiterating the county's focus on residents and directing people to washcowisco.gov for more information about local decisions and deadlines. The host reminded listeners that many property tax bills are due Jan. 31.