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| CITY
DEPARTMENTS : CITY CLERK-TREASURER : FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
| General Questions |
| What are your hours? |
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Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. |
| Where are you located? |
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In the Municipal Building, 625-52nd Street, Room
105 (first floor). |
| Who should I make my check payable
to? |
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Checks should be paid to the order of City of
Kenosha |
| What forms of payment do you
accept? |
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Checks (including money orders, cashier and traveler's
checks) or cash are acceptable payment methods. Debit cards are not accepted. Credit cards are not accepted directly by the City Clerk-Treasurer, however, you may pay taxes on-line.
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| Property Tax
Questions |
| Understanding Property Tax: |
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Administration of property tax bills and collection
is according to Wisconsin State Statutes, Chapter 74. To view
the statutes (Chapter 74) regarding property taxes, click
here.
The City Clerk-Treasurer collects current real estate taxes
from mid-December to July 31. After July 31, our real estate
tax records are turned over to the Kenosha County Treasurer,
1010-56th Street, Kenosha, 653-2542. The County Treasurer collects
all delinquent real estate taxes from previous years. The City
Clerk-Treasurer collects City personal property taxes (business-related),
current and delinquent, year-round. |
| When am I going to get my tax
bill? |
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Every year, the bills are mailed to property owners
around December 15. Remember . . . It is your responsiblity
to obtain and pay the tax bills on your property. The mailing
of tax bills is for your convenience, and according to Wisconsin
Statutes, Section 74.09(6), failure to receive a bill does not
exempt any property owner from paying penalties in the event
of late payment. |
| What is the tax rate (net assessed
value rate) for 2008? |
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The 2008 City tax rate is .02128447. The tax rate for Bristol School District is .02097977 and Paris School District is .02155351. |
| What is the amount of the 2008
lottery credit? |
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The Unified School District 2008 lottery credit amount is $79.33, Bristol School District is $76.62 and Paris School District is $81.68. |
| What is the amount of the 2008
first dollar credit? |
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The Unified School District 2008 first dollar credit amount is $34.38, Bristol School District is $33.20, Paris School District is $35.40. |
| What is my tax amount? |
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Click here
to look up your property tax information. |
| How are my taxes determined? |
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Total Assessed Value of Your Property (as
of Jan 1 of the tax year) x Tax Rate=Your Real Estate Tax
Though the assessed value of your property affects your share
of taxes, the actual amount you pay is determined by the budget
needs of the schools, city, county, technical college, and
state. All of these taxing units decide what services they
will provide in the coming year and how much money they will
need to provide those services. This amount is divided by
the assessed value of all City property minus the school tax
credit to arrive at the net tax rate. The tax rate is the
rate that is necessary to raise sufficient money from the
property tax to meet the levy. The levy is determined by totalling
all expected sources of revenue such as state aids and shared
revenues, license fees, etc. This amount is then subtracted
from the estimated expenditure figure and the remainder must
be raised from the property tax.
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| Where do my tax dollars go? |
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Although your tax payments are made to the Treasurer,
a large share of your tax dollars are turned over to other governmental
units such as the schools, county, technical college, and the
state. Taxes also pay for City services such as Public Safety,
Public Works, Health and Sanitation, Administration, Grant and
Aid Projects, and Culture and Recreation. |
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| Changing Name
& Address on Tax Bill |
| How can I change the ownership
name on the bill? |
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Contact the County Register of Deeds, 1010 - 56th
Street, (262) 653-2441. |
| How can I change my mailing address?
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Use
this address change form or Contact the City Assessor, 1010
- 56th Street, (262) 653-2545. |
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| Due Dates &
Penalties |
| When is the real estate tax bill
due and do I have to pay the whole bill? |
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There are two payment options after receiving
your bill:
- Full Payment Option:
BY JANUARY 31 - Pay the total amount
of the tax due.
- Installment Option:
BY JANUARY 31 - Pay the amount
of the first installment due.
BY APRIL 30 - Pay the amount of
the second installment due
BY JULY 31 - Pay the amount of
the third installment due.
If you choose to pay in installments, please remember:
The bill is divided into 3 installments. The due dates are
January 31st, April 30th and July 31st. The amount of the
installment due on your bill must be paid by the appropriate
due date. If any portion of the installment is paid late,
the ENTIRE balance of the real estate tax bill becomes delinquent,
and will accrue penalty until it is paid in full.
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| If I choose the installment option,
can I pay more than the installment amount due? |
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Yes, anything over the amount of the installment
due would be applied towards the next installment. |
| What determines a timely payment?
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To be considered a timely payment, your tax payment
must be received by the City Treasurer on or before January
31st, or your mailing envelope must be postmarked no later than
January 31st. Do not depend on your mailed payment being postmarked
on the day you deposit it in the mailbox. |
| What if I can't pay the amount
due? |
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If the full payment is not received by January
31st, or any installment is not paid by the appropriate due
date, the total remaining unpaid balance of the bill is DELINQUENT.
The unpaid balance will accrue penalty until it is paid in full.
Wisconsin Statutes 74.12(7)(8) www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html
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| How is penalty calculated? |
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Delinquent real estate taxes are subject to interest
of one percent (1%) and penalty of one-half percent (1/2%) per
month or fraction of a month, computed back to February 1. If
any installment is delinquent, the total remaining unpaid balance
becomes delinquent. Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 74.47, 74.12
(10), 74.12 (7)(8). www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html
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| How to Make
Payments |
| How do I make out my check and
where do I send it? |
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Make checks payable and mail to: City of Kenosha
City Treasurer 625 - 52nd Street Kenosha, WI 53140 |
| Do I have to wait in a long line
if I come in person to pay my taxes? |
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As soon as the tax bills are mailed, we have very
long lines of people waiting to pay. In December, the wait can
be from 10 to 20 minutes. We recommend either mailing your payment,
or using the payment drop boxes located outside of our building. |
| What if I cannot mail the payment
in time or make it in person before you close? |
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There are two payment drop boxes located outside
of our building, one in the visitor parking lot on the west
side of the building, and one in the front of the building,
on 52nd Street. Put your payment in an envelope, marked "City
Treasurer" (please do not deposit cash) and place it in one
of the drop boxes, any time of the day or night. Payments received
in the box prior to the due date are date stamped on time. |
| Do I need to endorse the back
of my escrow check? |
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If you are listed as the payee or co-payee on
your escrow check, you must endorse the check. If more than
one payee is listed, every payee listed must endorse the escrow
check. |
| What do I do if my escrow check
from my mortgage company is not enough or too much to cover
the amount due? |
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If the check is not enough to pay the first installment,
you are responsible to pay the difference by January 31. However,
if it covers more than the first installment, you may pay the
balance of the second installment by April 30, and the amount
of the third installment by July 31. If it is more than the
first and second installments, you may pay the balance of the
third installment by July 31. If the check is more than the
total amount due, you will receive a refund. |
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| Responsibilities
of the Property Owner |
| I just got my real estate tax
bill in the mail, what do I do now? |
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The property owner is responsible for paying the
bill. If you have a mortgage on your property, contact your
lender for information on how payment from your escrow account
is handled. |
| I am not sure if I am supposed
to pay my property taxes, or if my mortgage company is paying
them. How do I find out? |
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If you do not know if you are to pay your property
taxes or if your mortgage company plans to, you should call
your mortgage company. |
| I recently purchased this property.
I thought the taxes were already paid. Why am I getting this
bill? |
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You should read your closing documents to determine
if any portion or proration of the taxes were credited to you
by the previous owner. You are responsible for any taxes which
were not paid or credited as of closing. |
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| Disagreeing
with Property Taxes |
| Do I have any recourse if I disagree
with this bill? |
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No. Early in the year, the assessed value for
the property is established by the assessor. Around that time,
a property owner may file an objection to their assessed value.
However, the period for appealing has passed by the time the
taxes are determined. For more information on assessment objections,
visit the assessor page.
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| Personal Property
Taxes |
| What are personal property taxes?
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This type of tax usually pertains to a business.
It is based on assessed value of tangible items, for example,
furniture and machinery. Wisconsin Statutes 70.04 www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html
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| Property Tax
Programs |
| Are there any programs to help
me with my property taxes? |
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Certian Wisconsin property owners and renters may qualify for additional tax credits and/or loan assistance under special programs administered by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR), the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and WHEDA. Some income and residency restrictions apply. You may obtain information about several of these programs on the DOR website at www.revenue.wi.gov.
Homestead Credit (email: income@revenue.wi.gov)
Farmland Tax Relief Credit (email: income@revenue.wi.gov)
Schol Property Tax Credit (email: income@revenue.wi.gov)
DATCP Credit - Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection;
Framland Preservation Credit Box 8911, Madison WI 53708-1728
Loan Assistance - WHEDA, 1-800-755-7835, Box 1728, Madison, WI 53701-1728
Property Tax Deferral Loans for the Elderly
Property Tax Credits - Email: Igs@revenue.wi.gov - Wisconsin Department of Revenue 6-97, Box 8971, Madison, WI 53708-8971
Lottery and Gaming Credit
First Dollar Credit
School Levy Tax Credit
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| Licenses |
| How do I get a dog license? |
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Bring the rabies certificate which shows a valid
rabies shot for the dog to our office. The fees vary depending
upon the time of year and if the dog is neutered or spayed.
Current dog licenses fees are $4.00 if the dog is spayed/neutered
and $10.00 if not spayed or neutered. After March 31st, there
is an additional $5.00 fee if the license is not purchased within
30 days of ownership within the City, if the dog is older than
5 months old. |
| How can I get a license for my
business? |
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The answer to this would depend on the type of
business. The City Clerk's office issues specific licenses (i.e.,
bar, taxicab). If the business did not require any City-issued
licenses, the individual would be directed to the Neighborhood
Services & Inspections Department for an occupancy permit,
and the Wisconsin Department
of Revenue for a sellers permit. |
| How can I get a bartender or
taxi driver license? |
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Complete the proper application form and pay fee.
After filing and payment in the City Clerk's office, the application
must go to Common Council for approval. Applicants receive a
letter from the Police Department advising the status of their
application. No license is issued to any person with outstanding
municipal court fines. Bartender licenses are not issued until the applicant has provided proof of completion of the Beverage Server Course. If the applicant has held an operator's license within the last two years, in Wisconsin, they are exempt from the Beverage Server course requirement.
Application Forms:
Bartender Application
Taxi Driver Application | | Do I need a license and/or permit for (anything)? | | | SEE: License/Permit Guide | | | | | Elections/Voting | | Do I need identification to register to vote? | | | At the polling place, you must provide acceptable proof of residence, a form of identification must be listed and must include; a) A current and complete name, including both the given and family name and; b) A current and complete residential address, including a numbered street address, if any, and the name of a municipality. (Some examples: Driver's license, utility bill, rent receipt.) | | What election activity does the City Clerk conduct? | | |
- Voter registration
- Voter history maintenance
- Candidate registration
- Pollworker and voting machine technician supervision
- Comprehensive voting system administration
- Absentee ballot administration
| | When are the elections? | | | In even-numbered years:
| Spring Primary (if required) | 3rd Tuesday in February | | Spring Election | 1st Tuesday in April | | September Primary (if required) | 2nd Tuesday in September | | General Election | Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November | In odd-numbered years:
| | Spring Primary (if required) | 3rd Tuesday in February | | Spring Election | 1st Tuesday in April | | | Where can I register to vote? | | | Any City Library Branch (except Uptown), the City Clerk's office, or on the day of any election at your polling place. To locate your polling place, click here. |
| How can I get an absentee ballot? | | | Ballots are available in the City Clerk's office approximately 4 weeks before any election. For information on how to get a ballot click here. | | How can I become a pollworker? | | | Contact either the Democratic or Republican Party statutory chairman:
Democratic: Norman Buchholz 652-9733
Republican: Matt Augustine 654-5374 | | What times do the polling places open and close? | | | The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on election day. | | | | | Candidate Guidelines | | How can I run for the office of alderman/mayor? | | | Any person seeking public office in the State of Wisconsin must register as a candidate. You should register as a candidate in the City Clerk's office before circulating nomination papers to ensure proper disclosure.
For State campaign guidelines, visit elections.state.wi.us. | | | |
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