Tosa Tax Bills Coming Soon – At Slightly Higher Rate

"Newsflash" – that's what the e-mail notification from the City of Wauwatosa said – "Property tax bills have not been mailed yet."

It went on to say, "The City is awaiting some final figures from the State and cannot perform certain calculations pertaining to tax bills until the data is received."

Not to worry. You will get your tax bill.

"I suppose some people might say, 'The sky is falling!' – but a lot of other people might say, 'Hey, no rush, I can wait to see that,'" said Derik Summerfield, business supervisor in the .

The truth is, Summerfield said, the missing data from the state, pertaining to the mill rate municipalities can charge, arrived Dec. 1, and city tax bills are being processed only a little behind the usual schedule.

"There's a lot that goes in to getting them out the door," he said, "a lot of data processing that has to take place, and we've been doing that.

"Until I get a proof back from the printer, I don't have a mailing date."

Summerfield does have all the pertinent data, however, and if you know the assessed value of your home, or have a copy of last year's tax bill, you can calculate pretty closely what you'll be paying this year (see tables below).

The net tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value is up a solid 7 cents over last year, from $21.84 per $1,000 to $21.91 per $1,000.

Thank the that it isn't higher. The schools' portion of the levy fell from $8.31 per $1,000 in 2010 to $8.18 this year, whereas the state, the county, the city, MATC and MMSD all charged a higher rate than in 2010.

The School District cut $6 million from its budget this spring through pay freeze and higher benefit contribution agreements with all of its employee unions.

Blame Milwaukee County if you're looking for someone to blame: Its increase was by far the largest at 19 cents per $1,000, from $4.39 in 2010 to $4.52 this year.

The difference comes to $14 more if you own a $200,000 home, an increase from $4,368 in property taxes last year to $4,382 this year.

Wauwatosa last had a comprehensive property reassessment in 2006. A planned reassessment in 2010 was postponed, then put off again in 2011. According to City Assessor Steve Miner, a reassessment of Wauwatosa properties won't occur until 2013.

Multiply by the value of your home

2011 Tax Rate

2010 rates for comparison

Jurisdiction

2010

State

0.17

County

4.39

MMSD

1.42

MATC

1.89

School

8.31

City

6.92

Gross Tax Rate

23.10

School Tax Levy Credit

-1.26

Net Tax Rate

21.84