Wis. Stat. § 38.16 — WI Code / Chapter 38 / Section 38.16
District tax levy; revenue limit; property tax relief aid.
Status: in_force

(1) Annually by October 31, or within 10 days after receipt of the equalized valuations from the department of revenue, whichever is later, the district board may levy a tax on the full value of the taxable property of the district for the purposes of making capital improvements, acquiring equipment, operating and maintaining the schools of the district, and paying principal and interest on valid bonds or notes now or hereafter outstanding as provided in s. 67.035 . The district board secretary shall file with the clerk of each city, village and town, any part of which is located in the district, a certified statement showing the amount of the levy and the proportionate amount of the tax to be spread upon the tax rolls for collection in each city, village and town. Such proportion shall be ascertained on the basis of the ratio of full value of the taxable property of that part of the city, village or town located in the district to the full value of all taxable property in the district, as certified to the district board secretary by the department of revenue. Upon receipt of the certified statement from the district board secretary, the clerk of each city, village and town shall spread the amounts thereof upon the tax rolls for collection. When the taxes are collected, such amounts shall be paid by the treasurer of each city, village and town to the district board treasurer.

(2) The district board may borrow money and levy taxes to be used for the purchase or construction of buildings and for additions, enlargements and improvements to buildings and for the acquisition of sites and equipment. In financing activities under this subsection, the district may issue its bonds or promissory notes under ch. 67 to pay the cost thereof.

(3)

(a) In this subsection:

1. “Department” means the department of revenue.

1m. “Equalized value” excludes the value of tax incremental districts.

2. “Excess revenue” means the amount by which a district board’s revenue exceeds the limit under this subsection.

2m. “Municipality” means a city, village, or town.

2r. “Noncapital note” means a note issued by a district board under s. 67.12 (12) for any purpose other than financing any capital project or equipment with a useful life of more than one year or refunding any municipal obligations or any interest on municipal obligations.

2w. “Revenue” means the sum of the tax levy, property tax relief aid under subs. (4) and (5) , amounts under s. 79.0965 , and payments received under s. 79.096 , not including a payment received under s. 79.096 (3) or 79.0965 (3) for a tax incremental district that has been terminated.

3. “Tax levy” excludes taxes levied for the purpose of paying principal and interest on valid bonds and notes other than noncapital notes issued on or after July 2, 2013.

4. “Valuation factor” means a percentage equal to the greater of either zero percent or the percentage change in the district’s January 1 equalized value due to the aggregate new construction, less improvements removed, in municipalities located in the district between the previous year and the current year, as determined by the department of revenue under par. (am) .

(am) For the purpose of making the determination under par. (a) 4. , if a municipality is located in 2 or more districts, the department of revenue shall apportion the value of the aggregate new construction, less improvements removed, in the municipality among the districts based on the percentage of the municipality’s equalized value located in each district.

(be) Notwithstanding sub. (1) , no district board may increase its revenue in the 2014-15 school year or in any school year thereafter by a percentage that exceeds the district’s valuation factor, except as provided in pars. (bg) and (br) .

(bg)

1. The limit otherwise applicable to a district board under this subsection is increased by an amount equal to the amount of any refunded or rescinded property taxes paid by the district board in the year of the levy as determined by the department under s. 74.41 .

2. If a district board’s allowable revenue under this subsection in the 2014-15 school year, or any school year thereafter, is greater than its actual revenue in that school year, the limit otherwise applicable to the district board under this subsection in the succeeding school year is increased by the difference between the prior school year’s allowable revenue and the prior school year’s actual revenue, as determined by the department of revenue, up to a maximum increase of 0.5 percent of the actual revenue in that prior school year, if the district board approves the increase by a three-fourths vote.

(br)

1. If a district board wishes to exceed the limit otherwise applicable to the district under this subsection, it shall adopt a resolution supporting inclusion in the final district budget of an amount equal to the proposed excess revenue. The resolution shall be filed as provided in s. 8.37 . Within 10 days after adopting the resolution, the district board shall notify the board of the scheduled date of the referendum and submit a copy of the resolution to the board. The district board shall call a special referendum for the purpose of submitting the resolution to the electors of the district for approval or rejection. In lieu of a special referendum, the district board may specify that the referendum be held at the next succeeding spring primary or election or partisan primary or general election, if such election is to be held not sooner than 70 days after the filing of the resolution of the district board. The district board shall certify the results of the referendum to the board within 10 days after the referendum is held.

2. The district board shall publish type A, B, C, D, and E notices of the referendum under s. 10.01 (2) . Notwithstanding s. 10.01 (2) (a) , the type A notice shall include a statement of the amount of the excess revenue specified in subd. 1. and a copy of the resolution under subd. 1. Section 5.01 (1) applies in the event of failure to comply with the notice requirements of this subdivision.

3. The referendum shall be held in accordance with chs. 5 to 12 . The district board shall provide the election officials with all necessary election supplies. The form of the ballot shall correspond substantially with the standard form for referendum ballots prescribed by the elections commission under ss. 5.64 (2) and 7.08 (1) (a) . The question submitted shall be whether the limit under this subsection may be exceeded by a specified amount. The limit otherwise applicable to the district under this subsection is increased by the amount approved by a majority of those voting on the question.

(c) Except as provided in par. (d) , if the board determines that a district board exceeded its limit under this subsection, the board shall do all of the following:

1. Reduce the amount of state aid payments to the district board in the school year in which the district board exceeded its limit by an amount equal to the amount of the excess revenue.

2. Ensure that the amount of any reductions in state aid under subd. 1. lapses to the general fund.

3. Ensure that the amount of the excess revenue is not included in determining the limit under this subsection for the district board for the following year.

4. Ensure that, if a district board’s excess revenue exceeds the amount of state aid that may be reduced under subd. 1. , the excess amount is subtracted from state aid payments in the following years until the total amount of the excess revenue is subtracted from the state aid payments.

(d) The department may issue a finding that a district board is not liable for a penalty that would otherwise be imposed under par. (c) if the department determines that the district board’s excess revenue is caused by one of the following clerical errors:

1. The department, through mistake or inadvertence, has assessed to any county or taxation district, in the current year or in the previous year, a greater or lesser valuation for any year than should have been assessed, causing the district board’s levy to be erroneous in a way that directly causes an excess revenue.

2. A taxation district clerk or a county clerk, through mistake or inadvertence in preparing or delivering the tax roll, causes a district board’s levy to be erroneous in a way that directly causes an excess revenue.

(4) On February 20, 2015, and annually thereafter on the 3rd Friday in February, the board shall distribute to each district board, from the appropriation under s. 20.292 (1) (dp) , the amount determined as follows:

(a) For the payment in 2015, divide the district’s equalized value as of January 1, 2014, by the total equalized value of all districts as of January 1, 2014, and multiply the quotient by $406,000,000.

(b) For the payment in 2016 and annually thereafter, the amount determined under par. (a) .

(5) Annually on the 3rd Friday in February, the board shall distribute to each district board, from the appropriation under s. 20.292 (1) (dp) , the amount determined as follows:

(a) For the payment in 2022, divide the amount of the district’s distribution under sub. (4) (b) in 2022 by the total amount of distributions to all districts under sub. (4) (b) in 2022, and multiply the quotient by $29,000,000.

(b) For the payment in 2023 and annually thereafter, divide the amount of the district’s distribution under sub. (4) (b) in the same year by the total amount of distributions to all districts under sub. (4) (b) in that year, and multiply the quotient by $43,000,000.

History: 1971 c. 154 , 211 ; 1973 c. 61 , 90 ; 1975 c. 39 ; 1977 c. 29 ss. 493 , 1647 (13) ; 1977 c. 300 ss. 1 , 8 ; 1977 c. 418 s. 918m ; 1979 c. 34 ; 1981 c. 20 ; 2011 a. 32 , 75 ; 2013 a. 20 , 145 ; 2015 a. 118 , 317 ; 2017 a. 59 ; 2021 a. 58 , 61 , 240 ; 2025 a. 15 .