Mad City GRUMPS - Support Madison Schools

Background Tax Information

flower While the discussion about property taxes is one that will continue, it is important to point out that the Madison Metropolitan School District portion of the total property tax bill has decreased significantly over the past sixteen years. The state revenue caps have limited the amount of money that school districts may spend. Until 2009, the state also increased the amount of general state aid (although there is less aid for special education and limited aid for English Language Learners), so taxes have been held in check.

Please note that the school levy, which is the school portion of our property tax bill, has increased less than the rate of inflation. Individual school property taxes as noted below have increased much, much less than the rate of inflation. For some home owners in Madison, school property taxes in 2009 were actually LESS than they were in 1994.

Quick Tax Facts

Since 1994, the school levy has increased by less than the rate of inflation.
Since 1994, the mil rate (tax dollars paid per $1,000 assessed valuation) has decreased by almost 50%.
According to the 2009 property tax bill (City of Madison), MMSD lost $8.9 million in state aids; in 2008, MMSD gained $4.3M.
If there is less state aid available, the property tax levy increases to compensate for the lost aid.
The successful 2008 referendum, which we worked hard to help pass, added $5 milliion to the 2009 levy; absent that $5M, the levy would have increased by only 40% since 1994, four percentage points less the rate of inflation (see individual home taxes below).
Changes in property valuations (assessments) redistribute the tax burden; if your assessment decreases more than your neighbors, you will pay a smaller share of the levy.
Since 1994, the cost of living has increased by 44%; school property taxes on the average Madison home have increased by 13%!!