Wisconsin Republicans pitch using stimulus money for property tax relief

(The Center Square) – Republicans in Madison want to give a piece of Wisconsin’s federal stimulus back to taxpayers.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on Tuesday suggested using $1 billion of the $3.2 billion of the state’s discretionary funds for property tax relief.

“Wisconsin taxpayers were affected most by the pandemic. This is their money and they can spend it better than the government,” Vos said of his plan. “This proposal provides $1 billion to give the equivalent of a 10% return of taxes paid by property owners statewide.”

The rest of the money would go toward broadband expansions, particularly in the rural parts of the state, as well as Wisconsin’s long term care facilities.

“Forty five percent of Wisconsin’s 6,598 COVID deaths have been in long term care facilities. But, Gov. Evers sent them less than 10% of his CARES Act discretionary funding,” Vos explained “These facilities were hit severely by the COVID-19 pandemic and we need to recognize residents and staff and the difficult year they’ve been through.”

There is no chance that Vos will get his property tax relief.

The Republican-controlled legislature earlier this month approved legislation that would give lawmakers some say in how the state spends its stimulus money. But Gov Evers vetoed that plan this week.

“We know that it took the legislature pushing the governor to fix the unemployment situation and the failure of the early vaccine rollout for things to get better,” Vos added. “Now we have the economy to open and we’re going to make sure the funds are allocated wisely.”

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