70.40 Occupational tax on iron ore concentrates.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

(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.

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

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