Property Tax

Wisconsin’s Property Tax Code, Which Never Mentions Race, is Slanted in Favor of White Wisconsinites

by wbpadmin

November 12, 2020 — Our state and local tax code does not mention race. And yet it systematically demands that people of color pay a higher share of their income in taxes than white residents, showing that policies don’t have to explicitly mention race in order to have racially discriminatory consequences. The myth that the tax code “doesn’t see color” allows us to dismiss the role that tax policies have played in creating Wisconsin’s enormous racial disparities.

With the State Going Back on Its Commitment to Communities, Local Governments are Pushed to Consider Regressive Tax and Fee Increases

by wbpadmin

December 16, 2019 — For our economy to work for everyone, Wisconsin needs to invest in strong communities across the entire state. But Wisconsin has gone back on its commitment to providing resources to local governments, forcing counties, cities, and towns to implement taxes and fees that fall most heavily on residents with the lowest incomes.

Creating a More Equitable Tax Code

by wbpadmin

February 1, 2019 — Wisconsin’s tax system is a major driver of economic inequality and contributes to the increasing concentration of income and wealth in a few hands—hands that are most likely to be white, due to a long history of racial discrimination. This short report outlines options for using tax policy to help expand opportunity and enhance racial equity.