74.47 Interest and penalty on delinquent amounts.

(1) Interest. The interest rate on delinquent general property taxes, special charges, special assessments and special taxes included in the tax roll for collection is one percent per month or fraction of a month.

(2) Penalty allowed.

(a) Any county board and the common council of any city authorized to act under s. 74.87 may by ordinance impose a penalty of up to 0.5 percent per month or fraction of a month, in addition to the interest under sub. (1), on any delinquent general property taxes, special assessments, special charges and special taxes included in the tax roll.

(b) Any ordinance enacted under par. (a) may specify that the penalty under this subsection shall apply to any general property taxes, special assessments, special charges and special taxes that are delinquent on the effective date of the ordinance.

(3) Distribution.

(a) All interest and penalties collected by the county treasurer on payments of real property taxes and special taxes shall be retained by the county treasurer for the county.

(b) All interest and penalties on payments of delinquent special assessments and special charges collected by the county treasurer of a county which settles for unpaid special assessments and special charges under s. 74.29 shall be retained by the county treasurer for the county.

(c) All interest on payments of delinquent special assessments and special charges collected by the county treasurer of a county which does not settle for unpaid special assessments and special charges under s. 74.29 shall, along with the delinquent amounts that have been paid, be paid to the taxing jurisdiction which assessed the special assessment or special charge as follows:

1. If collected on or before July 31, as part of the settlement under s. 74.29.

2. If collected after July 31 and before issuance of the tax certificate under s. 74.57, on or before September 15.

(d) All interest and penalties on delinquent general property taxes, special assessments, special charges and special taxes collected on or before July 31 by the treasurer of a taxation district which has enacted an ordinance under s. 74.12 shall be retained by the taxation district treasurer for the taxation district.

(e) All interest and penalties on payments of delinquent personal property taxes collected by the taxation district treasurer shall be retained by the taxation district treasurer for the taxation district.

(f) All penalties on payments of delinquent special assessments and special charges collected by the county treasurer of a county which does not settle for unpaid special assessments and special charges shall be retained by the county treasurer for the county.

History: 1987 a. 378; 1989 a. 104; 1991 a. 39.