Gov. Scott Walker signed a $100 million property tax relief bill into law Sunday only 10 days after he initially announced the legislation.
Walker said the bill will lower property taxes over the next two years using the approximately $7 million surplus the state has collected, and 2013 will mark the third straight year of lowered property tax rates.
Walker tweeted he signed the bill at a local farm outside Burlington at approximately 3:30 p.m.
“It is outstanding to see Republicans and Democrats in the Assembly come together, like their colleagues in the Senate, to pass meaningful property tax relief for Wisconsin families, farmers, seniors, and small businesses,” Walker said in a statement Thursday after the state Assembly approved the bill.
Rep. Janet Bewley, D-Ashland, said in a statement Friday people shouldn’t be “fooled” by the property tax bill because most people’s property tax rate will still increase in 2013 and 2014.
“My Republican colleagues have been boasting about giving people a ‘meaningful’ property tax break,” Bewley said in the statement. “At best someone might be able to go out and buy a pizza. Sadly, few of my constituents in Northern Wisconsin will get enough to buy a cup of coffee.”
Rep. Warren Petryk, R-Elva, released a statement saying the Republican Legislature and Walker have worked “diligently” since 2011 to build up the surplus, part of which will fund the property tax relief bill.
“After all our hard work and tough decisions over the past few years, we can start giving back to Wisconsin citizens,” Petryk said in the statement.
