Wisconsin's state and local tax burden fell a small percentage of personal income this year, but the total tax burden rose about one percent because the federal government is collecting more taxes.
Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance President Todd Berry says for decades they've looked at the total tax bill people pay....
"....bottom line is in terms of all the taxes we paid, our burden relative to the income of the state went up from a little over 30 percent to a little over 31 percent of income...."
State individual income and unemployment taxes dropped, but actual tax dollars rose 0.2 percent to $27 billion .
Berry says the federal taxes changed the picture..
"....and that's the good news. Our state-local taxes compared to our ability to pay went down. The not-so-good news is because of federal tax increases our overall tax burden...went up...."
Collections of other major state taxes rose last year due to a growing economy. Sales tax collections rose about five percent. Tax collections at the local level increased 1.6 percent.
Berry says local property taxes rose 1.3 percent from 2013, the largest overall increase since 2011.
Collections of other major state taxes rose last year due to a growing economy. Sales tax collections rose about five percent. Tax collections at the local level increased 1.6 percent.
Berry says local property taxes rose 1.3 percent from 2013, the largest overall increase since 2011.
