66.0602 Local levy limits.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Debt service" includes debt service on debt issued or reissued to fund or refund outstanding municipal or county obligations, interest on outstanding municipal or county obligations, and related issuance costs and redemption premiums.

(am) “Joint fire department" means a joint fire department organized under s. 61.65 (2) (a) 3. or 62.13 (2m), or a joint fire department organized by any combination of 2 or more cities, villages, or towns under s. 66.0301 (2).

(au) “Municipality" means a city, village, or town.

(b) “Penalized excess" means the levy, in an amount that is at least $500 over the limit under sub. (2) for the political subdivision, not including any amount that is excepted from the limit under subs. (3), (4), and (5).

(c) “Political subdivision" means a city, village, town, or county.

(d) “Valuation factor" means a percentage equal to the greater of either the percentage change in the political subdivision's January 1 equalized value due to new construction less improvements removed between the previous year and the current or zero percent.

NOTE: Par. (d) (intro.) and 1. were consolidated and renumbered par. (d) under s. 13.92 (1) (bm) 2. by the legislative reference bureau. Unnecessary text was removed under s. 35.17.

(2) Levy limit.

(a) Except as provided in subs. (3), (4), and (5), no political subdivision may increase its levy in any year by a percentage that exceeds the political subdivision's valuation factor. Except as provided in par. (b), the base amount in any year, to which the limit under this section applies, shall be the actual levy for the immediately preceding year. In determining its levy in any year, a city, village, or town shall subtract any tax increment that is calculated under s. 59.57 (3) (a), 60.85 (1) (L), or 66.1105 (2) (i). The base amount in any year, to which the limit under this section applies, may not include any amount to which sub. (3) (e) 8. applies.

(b) For purposes of par. (a), in 2018, and in each year thereafter, the base amount to which the limit under this section applies is the actual levy for the immediately preceding year, plus the amount of the payment under s. 79.096, and the levy limit is the base amount multiplied by the valuation factor, minus the amount of the payment under s. 79.096.

(2m) Negative adjustment.

(a) If a political subdivision's levy for the payment of any general obligation debt service, including debt service on debt issued or reissued to fund or refund outstanding obligations of the political subdivision and interest on outstanding obligations of the political subdivision, on debt originally issued before July 1, 2005, is less in the current year than it was in the previous year, the political subdivision shall reduce its levy limit in the current year by an amount equal to the amount that its levy was reduced as described in this subsection.

(b)

1. In this paragraph, “ covered service" means garbage collection, fire protection, snow plowing, street sweeping, or storm water management, except that garbage collection may not be a covered service for any political subdivision that owned and operated a landfill on January 1, 2013. With regard to fire protection, “covered service” does not include the production, storage, transmission, sale and delivery, or furnishing of water for public fire protection purposes.

2. Except as provided in subd. 4., if a political subdivision receives revenues that are designated to pay for a covered service that was funded in 2013 by the levy of the political subdivision, the political subdivision shall reduce its levy limit in the current year by an amount equal to the estimated amount of fee revenue collected for providing the covered service, less any previous reductions made under this subdivision, not to exceed the amount funded in 2013 by the levy of the political subdivision.

3. Except as provided in subd. 4., if a political subdivision receives payments in lieu of taxes that are designated to pay for a covered service that was funded in 2013 by the levy of the political subdivision, the political subdivision shall reduce its levy limit in the current year by the estimated amount of payments in lieu of taxes received by the political subdivision to pay for the covered service, less any previous reductions made under this subdivision, not to exceed the amount funded in 2013 by the levy of the political subdivision.

4. The requirement under subd. 2. or 3. does not apply if the governing body of the political subdivision adopts a resolution that the levy limit should not be reduced and if the resolution is approved in a referendum. The procedure under sub. (4) applies to a referendum under this subdivision, except that the resolution and referendum question need not specify an amount of increase in the levy limit or the length of time for which the levy limit increase will apply and the referendum question need not follow the question format under sub. (4) (c).

(3) Exceptions.

(a) If a political subdivision transfers to another governmental unit responsibility for providing any service that the political subdivision provided in the preceding year, the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section to the political subdivision in the current year is decreased to reflect the cost that the political subdivision would have incurred to provide that service, as determined by the department of revenue.

(b) If a political subdivision increases the services that it provides by adding responsibility for providing a service transferred to it from another governmental unit that provided the service in the preceding year, the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section to the political subdivision in the current year is increased to reflect the cost of that service, as determined by the department of revenue.

(c) If a city or village annexes territory from a town, the city's or village's levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section is increased in the current year by an amount equal to the town levy on the annexed territory in the preceding year and the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section in the current year for the town from which the territory is annexed is decreased by that same amount, as determined by the department of revenue.

(d)

1. If the amount of debt service for a political subdivision in the preceding year is less than the amount of debt service needed in the current year, as a result of the political subdivision adopting a resolution before July 1, 2005, authorizing the issuance of debt, the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section to the political subdivision in the current year is increased by the difference between these 2 amounts, as determined by the department of revenue.

2. The limit otherwise applicable under this section does not apply to amounts levied by a political subdivision for the payment of any general obligation debt service, including debt service on debt issued or reissued to fund or refund outstanding obligations of the political subdivision, interest on outstanding obligations of the political subdivision, or the payment of related issuance costs or redemption premiums, authorized on or after July 1, 2005, and secured by the full faith and credit of the political subdivision.

3. The limit otherwise applicable under this section does not apply to amounts levied by a county having a population of 750,000 or more for the payment of debt service on appropriation bonds issued under s. 59.85, including debt service on appropriation bonds issued to fund or refund outstanding appropriation bonds of the county, to pay related issuance costs or redemption premiums, or to make payments with respect to agreements or ancillary arrangements authorized under s. 59.86.

4. If the amount of a lease payment related to a lease revenue bond for a political subdivision in the preceding year is less than the amount of the lease payment needed in the current year, as a result of the issuance of a lease revenue bond before July 1, 2005, the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section to the political subdivision in the current year is increased by the difference between these 2 amounts.

5. The limit otherwise applicable under this section does not apply to amounts levied by a 1st class city for the payment of debt service on appropriation bonds issued under s. 62.62, including debt service on appropriation bonds issued to fund or refund outstanding appropriation bonds of the city, to pay related issuance costs or redemption premiums, or to make payments with respect to agreements or ancillary arrangements authorized under s. 62.621.

6. The limit otherwise applicable under this section does not apply to the amount that a political subdivision levies to make up any revenue shortfall for the debt service on a special assessment B bond issued under s. 66.0713 (4).

(dm) If the department of revenue does not certify a value increment for a tax incremental district for the current year as a result of the district's termination, the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section in the current year to the political subdivision in which the district is located is increased by an amount equal to the political subdivision's maximum allowable levy for the immediately preceding year, multiplied by a percentage equal to 50 percent of the amount determined by dividing the value increment of the terminated tax incremental district, calculated for the previous year, by the political subdivision's equalized value, exclusive of any tax incremental district value increments, for the previous year, all as determined by the department of revenue.

(ds) If the department of revenue recertifies the tax incremental base of a tax incremental district as a result of the district's subtraction of territory under s. 66.1105 (4) (h) 2., the levy limit otherwise applicable under this section shall be adjusted in the first levy year in which the subtracted territory is not part of the value increment. In that year, the political subdivision in which the district is located shall increase the levy limit otherwise applicable by an amount equal to the political subdivision's maximum allowable levy for the immediately preceding year, multiplied by a percentage equal to 50 percent of the amount determined by dividing the value increment of the tax incremental district's territory that was subtracted, calculated for the previous year, by the political subdivision's equalized value, exclusive of any tax incremental district value increments, for the previous year, all as determined by the department of revenue.

(e) The limit otherwise applicable under this section does not apply to any of the following:

1. The amount that a county levies in that year for a county children with disabilities education board.

2. The amount that a 1st class city levies in that year for school purposes.

3. The amount that a county levies in that year under s. 82.08 (2) for bridge and culvert construction and repair.

4. The amount that a county levies in that year to make payments to public libraries under s. 43.12.

5. The amount that a political subdivision levies in that year to make up any revenue shortfall for the debt service on a revenue bond issued under s. 66.0621 by the political subdivision or by a joint fire department if the joint fire department uses the proceeds of the bond to pay for a fire station and assesses the political subdivision for its share of that debt, under an agreement entered into under s. 66.0301, which is incurred by the joint fire department but is the responsibility of the political subdivision.

6. The amount that a county levies in that year for a countywide emergency medical system.

7. The amount that a village levies in that year for police protection services, but this subdivision applies only to a village's levy for the year immediately after the year in which the village changes from town status and incorporates as a village, and only if the town did not have a police force.

8. The amount that a political subdivision levies in that year to pay the unreimbursed expenses related to an emergency declared under s. 323.10, including any amounts levied in that year to replenish cash reserves that were used to pay any unreimbursed expenses related to that emergency. A levy under this subdivision that relates to a particular emergency initially shall be imposed in the year in which the emergency is declared or in the following year.

9. The political subdivision's share of any refund or rescission determined by the department of revenue and certified under s. 74.41 (5).

(f)

1. Subject to subd. 3., and unless a political subdivision makes an adjustment under par. (fm), if a political subdivision's allowable levy under this section in the prior year was greater than its actual levy in that year, the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section to the political subdivision in the next succeeding year is increased by the difference between the prior year's allowable levy and the prior year's actual levy, as determined by the department of revenue, up to a maximum increase of 1.5 percent of the actual levy in that prior year.

3. The adjustment described in subd. 1. may occur only if the political subdivision's governing body approves of the adjustment by one of the following methods:

a. With regard to a city, village, or county, if the governing body consists of at least 5 members, by a majority vote of the governing body if the increase is 0.5 percent or less and by a three-quarters majority vote of the governing body if the increase is more than 0.5 percent, up to a maximum increase of 1.5 percent.

b. With regard to a city, village, or county, if the governing body consists of fewer than 5 members, by a majority vote of the governing body if the increase is 0.5 percent or less and by a two-thirds majority vote of the governing body if the increase is more than 0.5 percent, up to a maximum increase of 1.5 percent.

c. With a regard to a town, by a majority vote of the annual town meeting, or a special town meeting, if the town board has adopted a resolution approving of the adjustment by a majority vote of the town board if the increase is 0.5 percent or less and by a two-thirds majority vote of the town board if the increase is more than 0.5 percent, up to a maximum increase of 1.5 percent.

(fm)

1. Subject to subds. 3. and 4., a political subdivision's levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section may be increased by any amount up to the maximum adjustment specified under subd. 2.

2. The maximum adjustment allowed under subd. 1. shall be calculated by adding the difference between the political subdivision's valuation factor in the previous year and the actual percent increase in a political subdivision's levy attributable to the political subdivision's valuation factor in the previous year, for the 5 years before the current year, less any amount claimed under subd. 1. in one of the 5 preceding years, except that the calculation may not include any year before 2014, and the maximum adjustment as calculated under this subdivision may not exceed 5 percent.

3. The adjustment described in subd. 1. may occur only if the political subdivision's governing body approves of the adjustment by a two-thirds majority vote of the governing body and if the political subdivision's level of outstanding general obligation debt in the current year is less than or equal to the political subdivision's level of outstanding general obligation debt in the previous year.

4. This paragraph first applies to a levy that is imposed in 2015, and no political subdivision may make an adjustment under this paragraph if it makes an adjustment under par. (f) for the same year.

(g) If a county has provided a service in a part of the county in the preceding year and if a city, village, or town has provided that same service in another part of the county in the preceding year, and if the provision of that service is consolidated at the county level, the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section to the county in the current year is increased to reflect the total cost of providing that service, as determined by the department of revenue.

(h)

1. Subject to subd. 2., the limit otherwise applicable under this section does not apply to the amount that a city, village, or town levies in that year to pay for charges assessed by a joint fire department, but only to the extent that the amount levied to pay for such charges would cause the city, village, or town to exceed the limit that is otherwise applicable under this section.

2. The exception to the limit that is described under subd. 1. applies only if all of the following apply:

a. The total charges assessed by the joint fire department for the current year increase, relative to the total charges assessed by the joint fire department for the previous year, by a percentage that is less than or equal to the percentage change in the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, as determined by the U.S. department of labor, for the 12 months ending on September 30 of the year of the levy, plus 2 percent.

b. The governing body of each city, village, and town that is served by the joint fire department adopts a resolution in favor of exceeding the limit as described in subd. 1.

(i)

1. If a political subdivision enters into an intergovernmental cooperation agreement under s. 66.0301 to jointly provide a service on a consolidated basis with another political subdivision, and if one of the political subdivisions increases its levy from the previous year by an amount the parties to the agreement agree is needed to provide a more equitable distribution of payments for services received, the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section to that political subdivision in the current year is increased by that agreed amount.

2. If a political subdivision increases its levy as described in subd. 1. the other political subdivision, which is a party to the intergovernmental cooperation agreement and has agreed to the adjustment under subd. 1., shall decrease its levy in the current year by the same amount that the first political subdivision is allowed to increase its levy under subd. 1.

(j)

1. Subject to subd. 2., if a municipality experiences a shortfall in its general fund due to a loss of revenue received by the municipality from the sale of water or another commodity to a manufacturing facility as a result of the manufacturer discontinuing operations at the facility, the limit otherwise applicable under this section may be increased by the amount that the municipality levies to make up for the revenue shortfall.

2. The maximum adjustment claimed under subd. 1. shall equal the revenue received by the municipality from the sale of water or another commodity, as described in subd. 1., in the year prior to the year in which the manufacturing facility closed. A municipality may claim the adjustment in more than one year, except that the sum of all such adjustments may not exceed the revenue loss to the municipality's general fund in the year that the manufacturer discontinues operations at the facility.

(k)

1. Subject to subds. 2. and 3., if the village of Shorewood reduces its levy from the amount it would have levied for 2011 if not for an error in the valuation of Tax Incremental District Number 1 in the village, to compensate for that error, the limit otherwise applicable under this section to the village in 2012 is increased by the amount of the reduction, as determined by the department of revenue. The amounts added to the village's limit for 2012 under this subdivision may not exceed the amount by which the village underutilized its limit for 2011, as determined by the department of revenue.

2. If the village of Shorewood applies funds from the village's general fund in 2011 to replace amounts not levied to compensate for an error in the valuation of Tax Incremental District Number 1 in the village, the limits otherwise applicable under this section to the village in 2012 and 2013 are increased by the amount applied from the general fund in 2011, as determined by the department of revenue. The village's limit increases under this subdivision for 2012 and 2013 do not increase the village's limit for any subsequent year.

3. The combined amount of increased levy in 2012 and 2013 by the village of Shorewood under subd. 2. may not exceed the amount of the funds applied from the general fund to replace amounts not levied in 2011 to compensate for an error in the valuation of Tax Incremental District Number 1 in the village.

(L) If the village of Warrens reduces its levy from the amount it would have levied for 2012 if not for an error in the valuation of Tax Incremental District Number 1 in the village, to compensate for that error, the limit otherwise applicable under this section to the village in 2013 is increased by the amount of the reduction, as determined by the department of revenue. The amounts added to the village's limit for 2013 under this paragraph may not exceed the amount by which the village underutilized its limit for 2012, as determined by the department of revenue.

(Lm) If the city of Fox Lake reduces its levy from the amount it would have levied for 2012 if not for an error in the valuation of Tax Incremental District Number 1 in the city, to compensate for that error, the limit otherwise applicable under this section to the city in 2013 is increased by the amount of the reduction, as determined by the department of revenue. The amounts added to the city's limit for 2013 under this paragraph may not exceed the amount by which the city underutilized its limit for 2012, as determined by the department of revenue.

(m)

1. The levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section to a city, village, or town in the current year is increased by $1,000 for each new single-family residential dwelling unit for which a city, village, or town issues an occupancy permit in the preceding year and that is all of the following:

a. Located on a parcel of no more than 0.25 acre in a city or village, or on a parcel of no more than one acre in a town.

b. Sold in the preceding year for not more than 80 percent of the median price of a new residential dwelling unit in the city, village, or town in the preceding year.

2. Amounts levied under this paragraph may be used only for police protective services, fire protective service, or emergency medical services.

3. If a city, village, or town levies an amount under this paragraph, the city, village, or town may not decrease the amount it spends for police protective services, fire protective services, or emergency medical services below the amount the city, village, or town spent in the preceding year.

(n)

1. For a political subdivision that receives a payment under s. 79.04 (5) (a) or (b), the limit otherwise applicable under this section is increased by the amount that the political subdivision levies in that year to replace a revenue reduction incurred under s. 79.04 (5) (a) or (b). Subject to subd. 2., the amount levied under this paragraph for a particular property may not exceed the amount paid to the political subdivision under s. 79.04 (5) (a) 1. or (b) 1. less the amount to be paid to the political subdivision under s. 79.04 (5) (a) or (b) in the year in which the levy is imposed and less any amounts previously levied under this paragraph. A revenue reduction is incurred under this paragraph when the amount received by a political subdivision under s. 79.04 (5) (a) or (b) in the current year is less than the amount received under s. 79.04 (5) (a) or (b) in the previous year.

2. This paragraph applies to revenue reductions for which a payment under s. 79.04 (5) (a) or (b) is made after November 23, 2019. If the first payment made under s. 79.04 (5) (a) or (b) after November 23, 2019, is under s. 79.04 (5) (a) 2. to 5. or (b) 2. to 5., the amount of the payment made under s. 79.04 (5) (a) or (b) in the previous year shall be used in determining the maximum amount of revenue reduction incurred.

(4) Referendum exception.

(a) A political subdivision may exceed the levy increase limit under sub. (2) if its governing body adopts a resolution to that effect and if the resolution is approved in a referendum. The resolution shall specify the proposed amount of increase in the levy beyond the amount that is allowed under sub. (2), the purpose for which the increase will be used, and whether the proposed amount of increase is for the next fiscal year only or if it will apply on an ongoing basis. With regard to a referendum relating to the 2005 levy, or any levy in an odd-numbered year thereafter, the political subdivision may call a special referendum for the purpose of submitting the resolution to the electors of the political subdivision for approval or rejection. With regard to a referendum relating to the 2006 levy, or any levy in an even-numbered year thereafter, the referendum shall be held at the next succeeding spring primary or election or partisan primary or general election.

(b) The clerk of the political subdivision shall publish type A, B, C, D, and E notices of the referendum under s. 10.01 (2). Section 5.01 (1) applies in the event of failure to comply with the notice requirements of this paragraph.

(c) The referendum shall be held in accordance with chs. 5 to 12. The political subdivision shall provide the election officials with all necessary election supplies. The form of the ballot shall correspond substantially with the standard form for referendum ballots under ss. 5.64 (2) and 7.08 (1) (a). The question shall be submitted as follows: “Under state law, the increase in the levy of the .... (name of political subdivision) for the tax to be imposed for the next fiscal year, .... (year), is limited to ....%, which results in a levy of $.... Shall the .... (name of political subdivision) be allowed to exceed this limit and increase the levy for the next fiscal year, .... (year), for .... (purpose for which the increase will be used), by a total of ....%, which results in a levy of $....?". In preparing the ballot question for a referendum held at a partisan primary in 2014, as it relates to the allowable amount of levy rate increase and the total amount of a levy, a county with a population of at least 30,000, but no more than 40,000, that is adjacent to a county with a population exceeding 450,000, shall use the most recent data that it has and the most recent data that is available from the department of revenue.

(d) Within 14 days after the referendum, the clerk of the political subdivision shall certify the results of the referendum to the department of revenue. The levy increase limit otherwise applicable to the political subdivision under this section is increased in the next fiscal year by the percentage approved by a majority of those voting on the question. If the resolution specifies that the increase is for one year only, the amount of the increase shall be subtracted from the base used to calculate the limit for the 2nd succeeding fiscal year.

(5) Exception, certain towns. A town with a population of less than 3,000 may exceed the levy increase limit otherwise applicable under this section to the town if the town board adopts a resolution supporting an increase and places the question on the agenda of an annual town meeting or a special town meeting and if the annual or special town meeting adopts a resolution endorsing the town board's resolution. The limit otherwise applicable to the town under this section is increased in the next fiscal year by the percentage approved by a majority of those voting on the question. Within 14 days after the adoption of the resolution, the town clerk shall certify the results of the vote to the department of revenue.

(6) Penalties. Except as provided in sub. (6m), if the department of revenue determines that a political subdivision has a penalized excess in any year, the department of revenue shall do all of the following:

(a) Reduce the amount of county and municipal aid payments to the political subdivision under s. 79.035 in the following year by an amount equal to the amount of the penalized excess.

(b) Ensure that the amount of any reductions in county and municipal aid payments under par. (a) lapses to the general fund.

(c) Ensure that the amount of the penalized excess is not included in determining the limit described under sub. (2) for the political subdivision for the following year.

(d) Ensure that, if a political subdivision's penalized excess exceeds the amount of aid payment that may be reduced under par. (a), the excess amount is subtracted from the aid payments under par. (a) in the following years until the total amount of penalized excess is subtracted from the aid payments.

(6m) Mistakes in levies. The department of revenue may issue a finding that a political subdivision is not liable for a penalty that would otherwise be imposed under sub. (6) if the department determines that the political subdivision's penalized excess is caused by one of the following clerical errors:

(a) The department, through mistake or inadvertence, has assessed to any county or taxation district, in the current year or in the previous year, a greater or less valuation for any year than should have been assessed, causing the political subdivision's levy to be erroneous in a way that directly causes a penalized excess.

(b) A taxation district clerk or a county clerk, through mistake or inadvertence in preparing or delivering the tax roll, causes a political subdivision's levy to be erroneous in a way that directly causes a penalized excess.

History: 2005 a. 25, 484; 2007 a. 20, 115, 129; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32, 63, 75, 140, 145, 258; 2013 a. 20; 2013 a. 165 s. 114; 2013 a. 222, 310; 2015 a. 55, 191, 256; 2017 a. 59; 2017 a. 207 s. 5; 2017 a. 223, 243, 317; 2017 a. 365 s. 111; 2019 a. 45; s. 13.92 (1) (bm) 2.; s. 35.17 correction in (1) (d).