Chapter 66

66.0713(3) (3) General obligation-local improvement bonds. For the purpose of anticipating the collection of special assessments payable in installments as provided in s. 66.0715 (3) and after the installments have been determined, the governing body may issue general obligation-local improvement bonds under s. 67.16.

66.0713(4) (4) Special assessment B bonds.

66.0713(4)(a) (a) For the purpose of anticipating the collection of special assessments payable in installments, as provided in s. 66.0715 (3) and after the installments have been determined, the governing body may issue special assessment B bonds payable out of the proceeds of the special assessments as provided in this section. The bonds are not a general liability of the local governmental unit.

66.0713(4)(b) (b) The issue of special assessment B bonds shall be in an amount not exceeding the aggregate unpaid special assessments levied for the public improvement that the issue is to finance. A separate bond shall be issued for each separate assessment and the bond shall be secured by and be payable out of only the assessment against which it is issued. The bonds shall mature in the same number of installments as the underlying special assessments. The bonds shall carry coupons equal in number to the number of special assessments. The coupons shall be detachable and entitle the owner of the bond to the payment of principal and interest collected on the underlying special assessments. The bond shall be executed as provided in s. 67.08 (1) and may be registered under s. 67.09. Each bond shall include a statement that it is payable only out of the special assessment on the particular property against which it is issued and the purpose for which the assessment was levied and other provisions that the governing body inserts.

66.0713(4)(ba) (ba) Payments of principal and interest shall conform as nearly as possible to the payments to be made on the installments of the assessment, and the principal and interest to be paid on the bonds shall not exceed the principal and interest to be received on the assessment. All collections of installments of the special assessments levied to pay for the public improvement, either before or after delinquency, shall be placed by the treasurer of the local governmental unit in a special debt service fund designated and identified for the bond issue and shall be used only for the payment of the bonds and interest of the issue. Any surplus in the debt service fund after all bonds and interest are fully paid shall be paid into the general fund.

66.0713(4)(c) (c) Special assessment B bonds shall be registered in the name of the owner on the records of the clerk of the local governmental unit that issued the bonds. Upon transfer of the ownership of the bonds the transfer shall be noted upon the bond and on the record of the clerk of the local governmental unit. Any transfer not so recorded is void and the clerk of the local governmental unit may make payments of principal and interest to the owner of the bond as registered on the books of the local governmental unit.

66.0713(4)(d) (d) Principal and interest collected on the underlying special assessments and interest collected on the delinquent special assessments and on delinquent tax certificates issued for the delinquent assessments shall be paid by the treasurer of the local governmental unit out of the debt service fund created for the issue of the bonds to the registered holder of the bonds upon the presentation and surrender of the coupons due attached to the bonds. If any installment of the special assessment entered in the tax roll is not paid to the treasurer of the local governmental unit with the other taxes, it shall be returned to the county treasurer as delinquent in trust for collection.

66.0713(4)(e) (e) If the tax certificate resulting from the delinquent special assessment is redeemed by any person other than the county, the county treasurer shall pay to the local governmental unit the full amount received for the tax certificate, including interest, and the treasurer of the local governmental unit shall then pay the amount of the remittance into a special debt service fund created for the payment of the special assessment B bonds.

66.0713(5) (5) Area-grouped special assessment B bonds.

66.0713(5)(a) (a) If the governing body determines to issue special assessment B bonds under sub. (4), it may group the special assessments levied against benefited lands and issue of the bonds against the special assessments grouped as a whole. All of the bonds shall be equally secured by the assessments without priority one over the other.

66.0713(5)(b) (b) All of the following apply to area-grouped special assessment B bonds issued under this section:

66.0713(5)(b)1. 1. For the purpose of anticipating the collection of special assessments payable in installments under this section and after the installments have been determined, the governing body may issue area-grouped special assessment B bonds payable out of the proceeds of the special assessments as provided under sub. (4). The bonds are not a general liability of the local governmental unit.

66.0713(5)(b)2. 2. The issue of the bonds shall be in an amount not exceeding the aggregate unpaid special assessments levied for the public improvement or projects which the issue is to finance. The bonds shall mature over substantially the same period of time in which the special assessment installments are to be paid. The bonds shall be bearer bonds or may be registered bonds under s. 67.09. The bonds shall be executed as provided in s. 67.08 (1) and shall include a statement that they are payable only from the special debt service fund provided for in subd. 4. and a fund created under sub. (7) for the collection and payment of the special assessment and any other provisions that the governing body deems proper to insert.

66.0713(5)(b)4. 4. All collections of principal and interest on the underlying special assessments and installments, either before or after delinquency and after issuance of a tax certificate under s. 74.57, shall be placed by the treasurer of the local governmental unit in a special debt service fund created, designated and identified for the issue of the bonds and used only for payment of the bonds and interest on the bonds to the holders of the bonds or coupons in accordance with the terms of the issue. Any surplus in the debt service fund, after all bonds and interest on the bonds are fully paid, shall be paid into the general fund.

66.0713(5)(b)5. 5. If the tax certificate is redeemed by any person other than the county, the county treasurer shall pay to the local governmental unit the full amount received for the certificate, including interest, and the treasurer of the local governmental unit shall pay the amount of the remittance into the special debt service fund created for the payment of the bonds.

66.0713(5)(b)7. 7. A holder of the bonds or of any coupons attached to the bonds has a lien against the special debt service fund created under subd. 4. for payment of the bonds and interest on the bonds and against any reserve fund created under sub. (7) and may either at law or in equity protect and enforce the lien and compel performance of all duties required by this section of the local governmental unit issuing the bonds.

66.0713(6) (6) Refunding B bonds. A local governmental unit may issue refunding B bonds to refund any outstanding special assessment B bonds issued under sub. (4) or (5). The refunding B bonds shall be secured by and payable only from the special assessments levied to pay for the public improvements financed by the bonds to be refunded, and are not a general liability of the local governmental unit. If bonds issued under sub. (4) are to be refunded, the provisions of sub. (4) (b) to (e) apply to the refunding B bonds; if bonds issued under sub. (5) are to be refunded, the provisions of sub. (5) (b) apply to the refunding B bonds. If the governing body determines that it is necessary to amend the prior assessments in connection with the issuance of refunding B bonds under this section, it may reconsider and reopen the assessments under s. 66.0703 (10). The notice and hearing under s. 66.0703 (10) may be waived under s. 66.0703 (7) (b) by the owners of the property affected. If the assessments are amended, the refunding B bonds shall be secured by and payable from the special assessments as amended. If the assessments are amended, all direct and indirect costs reasonably attributable to the refunding of the bonds may be included in the cost of the public improvements being financed. If the governing body determines to issue refunding B bonds, it may create a reserve fund for the issue under sub. (7).

66.0713(7) (7) Reserve fund for special assessment B bonds and refunding B bonds. If the governing body determines to issue special assessment B bonds under sub. (4) or refunding B bonds under sub. (6), it may establish in its treasury a fund to be designated as a reserve fund for the particular bond issue, to be maintained until the obligation is paid or otherwise extinguished. Any surplus in the reserve fund after all the bonds have been paid or canceled shall be carried into the general fund of the local governmental unit’s treasury. The source of the fund shall be established either from proceeds of the bonds, the general fund of the local governmental unit’s treasury or by the levy of an irrepealable and irrevocable general tax. The bonds are not a general liability of the local governmental unit.

66.0713(8) (8) Payment of B bonds from tax levy. Any local governmental unit authorized to issue special assessment B bonds, in addition to the special assessments or bond proceeds or other sources, may appropriate funds out of its annual tax levy for the payment of the bonds. The payment of the bonds out of funds from a tax levy may not be construed as constituting an obligation of the local governmental unit to make any other such appropriation.

66.0713(9) (9) Payment by local governmental unit. If a public improvement has been paid for by the local governmental unit, contractor’s certificates under sub. (2), general obligation-local improvement bonds under s. 67.16, or special assessment B bonds under sub. (4) may be issued to the local governmental unit as the owner of the certificates or bonds. All of the provisions of subs. (2) and (4) and s. 67.16 applicable to the contractor or to the owner of the contractor’s certificates, the general obligation-local improvement bonds or the special assessment B bonds shall be deemed to include the local governmental unit which has paid for the improvement and to which the contractor’s certificates, general obligation-local improvement bonds or special assessment B bonds have been issued, except as otherwise provided in this section.

66.0713(10) (10) Legality of proceedings; conclusive evidence. After the expiration of 90 days from the date of a contractor’s certificate or special assessment B bond, the certificate or bond is conclusive evidence of the legality of all proceedings up to and including the issue of the certificate or bond and prima facie evidence of the proper construction of the improvement.

66.0713 History History: 1973 c. 172; 1977 c. 29 s. 1646 (3); 1977 c. 391; 1979 c. 110 s. 60 (13); 1981 c. 390 s. 252; 1983 a. 24; 1983 a. 189 ss. 66, 329 (14); 1983 a. 192; 1983 a. 207 ss. 32, 33, 93 (8); 1987 a. 197, 378, 403; 1991 a. 237, 316; 1993 a. 184; 1997 a. 250; 1999 a. 150 ss. 203, 502, 503, 509 to 513, 516, 517, 519, 522, 523; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0713; 2005 a. 253.

66.0715 66.0715 Deferral of special assessments; payment of special assessments in installments.

66.0715(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

66.0715(1)(a) (a) “Governing body” has the meaning given in s. 66.0713 (1) (b).

66.0715(1)(b) (b) “Local governmental unit” has the meaning given in s. 66.0713 (1) (c).

66.0715(1)(c) (c) “Public improvement” has the meaning given in s. 66.0713 (1) (d).

66.0715(2) (2) Deferral.

66.0715(2)(a) (a) Notwithstanding any other statute, the due date of any special assessment levied against property abutting on or benefited by a public improvement may be deferred on the terms and in the manner prescribed by the governing body while no use of the improvement is made in connection with the property. A deferred special assessment may be paid in installments within the time prescribed by the governing body. A deferred special assessment is a lien against the property from the date of the levy.

66.0715(2)(b) (b) If a tax certificate is issued under s. 74.57 for property which is subject to a special assessment that is deferred under this subsection, the governing body may provide that the amounts of any deferred special assessments are due on the date that the tax certificate is issued and are payable as are other delinquent special assessments from any moneys received under s. 75.05 or 75.36.

66.0715(2)(c) (c) The lien of any unpaid amounts of special assessments deferred under this subsection with respect to which a governing body has not taken action under par. (b) is not merged in the title to property taken by the county under ch. 75.

66.0715(3) (3) Annual installments.

66.0715(3)(a) (a) The governing body of a local governmental unit may provide that special assessments levied to defray the cost of a public improvement or a project constituting part of a general public improvement, except sprinkling or oiling streets, may be paid in annual installments.

66.0715(3)(b) (b) Installment payments of principal and interest shall be structured by the governing body. The interest rate shall be set by the governing body, and may include an administrative fee of not more than 2 percent. The interest rate set under this paragraph may not be changed during the course of the installment payments for a particular special assessment.

66.0715(3)(c) (c) The first installment shall be entered in the first tax roll prepared after the installments have been determined as a special tax on the property upon which the special assessment was levied and shall be treated as any other tax of a local governmental unit, except as otherwise provided in this section. Each subsequent installment shall be entered in each of the subsequent annual tax rolls until all installments are levied.

66.0715(3)(d) (d) If any installment entered in the tax roll is not paid to the treasurer of the local governmental unit with the other taxes it shall be returned to the county as delinquent and accepted and collected by the county in the same manner as delinquent general taxes on real estate, except as otherwise provided in this section.

66.0715(3)(e) (e) If the governing body determines to permit special assessments for a local improvement to be paid in installments it shall publish a class 1 notice, under ch. 985. The notice shall be substantially in the following form:

INSTALLMENT ASSESSMENT NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that a contract has been (or is about to be) let for (describe the improvement) and that the amount of the special assessment for the improvement has been determined as to each parcel of real estate affected and a statement of the assessment is on file with the.... clerk; it is proposed to collect the special assessment in.... installments, as provided for by section 66.0715 of the Wisconsin Statutes, with interest at.... percent per year; that all assessments will be collected in installments as provided above except assessments on property where the owner files with the.... clerk within 30 days from date of this notice a written notice that the owner elects to pay the special assessment on the owner’s property, describing the property, to the.... treasurer on or before the following November 1, unless the election is revoked. If, after making the election, the property owner fails to make the payment to the.... treasurer, the.... clerk shall place the entire assessment on the following tax roll.

Dated....

.... [Clerk of (name of local governmental unit)]

66.0715(3)(f) (f) After the time for making an initial election to pay the special assessment in full under par. (e) expires, the assessment may be paid in full before due upon payment of that portion of the interest to become due as the governing body determines.

66.0715(3)(fm) (fm)

66.0715(3)(fm)1. 1. Between the time that a property owner elects to pay the special assessment in full under par. (e) and 30 days before the time that payment is due, the property owner may revoke his or her initial election and, subject to subds. 2. and 3., shall pay the special assessment in installments if the governing body that levied the special assessment adopts a resolution consenting to the revocation.

66.0715(3)(fm)2. 2. If the first installment has been paid by property owners under par. (c) before the date on which payment in full would have been due for a property owner who initially elected to pay the special assessment in one lump sum, the next property tax bill sent to a person who revoked his or her initial election to make a lump sum payment shall include all of the following amounts:

66.0715(3)(fm)2.a. a. An amount equal to what the first installment would have been under par. (b) if the property owner’s initial election had been to pay the special assessment in installments.

66.0715(3)(fm)2.b. b. Interest on that amount at the rate used by the local governmental unit for installment payments under par. (b), covering the period between the date that the initial election was made under par. (e) and the date on which the installment is paid.

66.0715(3)(fm)2.c. c. The amount of the 2nd installment, as calculated under par. (b).

66.0715(3)(fm)3. 3. If the first installment has not been paid by property owners under par. (c) before the date on which payment in full would have been due for a property owner who initially elected to pay the special assessment in one lump sum, the next property tax bill sent to a person who revoked his or her initial election to make a lump sum payment shall be an amount calculated under par. (b) plus interest on that amount at the rate used by the local governmental unit for installment payments under par. (b), covering the period between the date that the initial election was made under par. (e) and the date on which the installment is paid.

66.0715(3)(g) (g) A schedule of the assessments and assessment installments shall be recorded in the office of the clerk of the local governmental unit as soon as practicable.

66.0715(3)(h) (h) All special assessments and installments of special assessments which are returned to the county as delinquent by any municipal treasurer under this section shall be accepted by the county in accordance with this section and shall be set forth in a separate column of the delinquent return.

66.0715 History History: 1999 a. 150 ss. 204, 205, 514, 537; 2013 a. 222.

66.0717 66.0717 Lien of special assessment. A special assessment levied under any authority is a lien on the property against which it is levied on behalf of the municipality levying the assessment or the owner of any certificate, bond or other document issued by the municipality, evidencing ownership of any interest in the special assessment, from the date of the levy, to the same extent as a lien for a tax levied upon real property.

66.0717 History History: 1987 a. 378; 1999 a. 150 s. 536; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0717.

66.0719 66.0719 Disposition of special assessment proceeds where improvement paid for out of general fund or municipal obligations.

66.0719(1) (1) In this section:

66.0719(1)(a) (a) “Local governmental unit” has the meaning given in s. 66.0713 (1) (c).

66.0719(1)(b) (b) “Public improvement” has the meaning given in s. 66.0713 (1) (d).

66.0719(2) (2) If a special assessment is levied for any public improvement, any amount collected on that special assessment or received from the county shall be deposited in the general fund of the local governmental unit if the payment for the improvement was made out of its general fund, deposited in the funds and accounts of a public utility established under s. 66.0621 (4) (c) if the improvement was paid out of the proceeds of revenue obligations of the local governmental unit, or deposited in the debt service fund required for the payment of bonds or notes issued under ch. 67 if the improvement was paid out of the proceeds of the bonds or notes. That special assessment, when delinquent, shall be returned in trust for collection and the local governmental unit has the same rights as provided in s. 67.16 (2) (c).

66.0719 History History: 1999 a. 150 ss. 206, 520, 521; 2003 a. 321.

66.0721 66.0721 Special assessments on certain farmland or camps for construction of sewerage or water system.

66.0721(1) (1) In this section:

66.0721(1)(a) (a) “Agricultural use” has the meaning given in s. 91.01 (2) and includes any additional agricultural uses of land, as determined by the town sanitary district or town.

66.0721(1)(ae) (ae) “Camp” means all real property and the personal property situated therein, of any camp conducted by a nonprofit corporation, a charitable trust, or other nonprofit association that is described in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is exempt from federal tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is organized under the laws of this state, so long as the property is used primarily for camping for children and not for pecuniary profit of any individual.

66.0721(1)(b) (b) “Eligible farmland” means land that is eligible for farmland preservation tax credits under ss. 71.58 to 71.61 or 71.613.

66.0721(2) (2) Except as provided in sub. (3), no town sanitary district or town may levy any special assessment on eligible farmland or a camp for the construction of a sewerage or water system.

66.0721(3) (3) 

66.0721(3)(a) (a) If any eligible farmland or camp contains a structure that is connected to a sanitary sewer or public water system at the time, or after the time, that a town sanitary district or town first levies a special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system in the service area in which the eligible farmland or camp is located, the town sanitary district or town may levy a special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system on the eligible farmland or camp that includes that structure. If that connection is made after the first assessment, the town sanitary district or town may also charge interest, from the date that the connection is made, on the special assessment at an annual rate that does not exceed the average interest rate paid by the district or town on its obligations between the time the district or town first levies a special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system in the service area in which the eligible farmland or camp is located and the time it levies the special assessment on that eligible farmland or camp. That assessment may not exceed the equivalent of an assessment for that purpose on a square acre or, if the governing body of a town sanitary district or town so specifies by ordinance, the maximum size of any lot that is in that service area and that is not devoted exclusively to agricultural use or exclusively to use as a camp.

66.0721(3)(b) (b) If after an initial special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system is levied in a service area any eligible farmland or camp subject to par. (a) or exempted from a special assessment under sub. (2) is divided into 2 or more parcels at least one of which is not devoted exclusively to agricultural use or exclusively to use as a camp, the town sanitary district or town may levy on each parcel on which it has either levied a special assessment under par. (a) or has not levied a special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system a special assessment for that purpose that does not exceed the amount of the special assessment for that purpose that would have been levied on the parcel if the parcel had not been exempt under sub. (2) or that has already been levied under par. (a). The special assessment shall be apportioned among the parcels resulting from the division in proportion to their area. The town sanitary district or town may also charge interest, from the date the eligible farmland or camp is divided into 2 or more parcels at least one of which is not devoted exclusively to agricultural use or exclusively to use as a camp, on the special assessment at an annual rate that does not exceed the average interest rate paid by the district or town on its obligations between the time the district or town first levies a special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system in the service area in which the eligible farmland or camp is located and the time it levies the special assessment on that eligible farmland or camp under this paragraph. This paragraph does not apply to any eligible farmland or camp unless the town sanitary district or town records a lien on that eligible farmland or camp in the office of the register of deeds within 90 days after it first levies a special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system for the service area in which the eligible farmland or camp is located, describing either the applicability of par. (a) or the exemption under sub. (2) and the potential for a special assessment under this paragraph.

66.0721(3)(c) (c) If, after a town sanitary district or town first levies a special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system in a service area, the eligible farmland or camp in that service area exempted from the special assessment under sub. (2) is not devoted exclusively to agricultural use or exclusively to use as a camp for a period of one year or more, the town sanitary district or town may levy on that eligible farmland or camp the special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system that it would have levied if the eligible farmland or camp had not been exempt under sub. (2). The town sanitary district or town may also charge interest, from the date the eligible farmland or camp has not been devoted exclusively to agricultural use or exclusively to use as a camp for a period of at least one year, on the special assessment at an annual rate that does not exceed the average interest rate paid by the district or town on its obligations between the time the district or town first levies a special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system in the service area in which the eligible farmland or camp is located and the time it levies the special assessment on that eligible farmland or camp. This paragraph does not apply to any land unless the town or special purpose district records a lien on that eligible farmland or camp in the office of the register of deeds within 90 days after it first levies a special assessment for the construction of a sewerage or water system in the service area in which the eligible farmland or camp is located, describing the exemption under sub. (2) and the potential for a special assessment under this paragraph.

66.0721 History History: 1999 a. 150 ss. 208, 530; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0721; 2007 a. 226; 2009 a. 28.

66.0723 66.0723 Utilities, special assessments.

66.0723(1) (1) If a city, village or town constructs, extends or acquires by gift, purchase or otherwise a distribution system or a production or generating plant for the furnishing of light, heat or power to any municipality or its inhabitants, the city, village or town may assess all or some of the cost to the property benefited, whether abutting or not, in the same manner as is provided for the assessment of benefits under s. 66.0703.

66.0723(2) (2) Special assessments under this section may be made payable and certificates or bonds issued under s. 66.0713. In a city, village or town where no official paper is published, notice may be given by posting the notice in 3 public places in the city, village or town.

66.0723 History History: 1993 a. 246; 1999 a. 150 s. 233; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0723.

66.0725 66.0725 Assessment of condemnation benefits.

66.0725(1) (1) As a complete alternative to any other method provided by law, for the purpose of payment of the expenses, including the excess of damages and all other expenses and costs, incurred for the taking of private property for the purpose set forth in ss. 32.02 (1), 61.34 (3) and 62.22, the governing body of a town, city or village may, by resolution, levy and assess the whole or any part of the expenses, as a special assessment upon the property that the governing body determines is specially benefited by the taking. The governing body shall include in the levy the whole or any part of the excess of benefits over total damages, if any, and make a list of every lot or parcel of land assessed, the name of the owner, if known, and the amount levied on the property.

66.0725(2) (2) The resolution under sub. (1) shall be published as a class 2 notice, under ch. 985, with a notice that at the time and place stated the governing body will meet and hear objections to the assessment. If the resolution levies an assessment against property outside the corporate limits, notice shall be given by mailing a copy of the resolution and the notice by registered mail to the last-known address of the owner of the property. A copy of the resolution shall be filed with the clerk of the town in which the property is located.

66.0725(3) (3) At the time fixed the governing body shall meet and hear objections, and for that purpose may adjourn to a date set by the governing body, until the hearing is completed, and shall by resolution confirm or modify the assessment in whole or in part. At any time before the first day of the next November any party liable may pay the assessment to the town, city or village treasurer. On November 1, if the assessment remains unpaid, the treasurer shall make a certified statement showing what assessments under this section remain unpaid, and file the statement with the clerk, who shall place the unpaid assessments on the tax roll for collection.

66.0725(4) (4) The town clerk shall enter on the tax roll the benefits not offset by damages or an excess of benefits over damages which are levied as a special assessment under this section by a city or village on land in the town and shall collect the assessment in the same manner as other taxes. The assessments collected shall be paid over to the city or village treasurer to be applied in payment of any damages or excess of damages over benefits awarded by the assessment. If the amount of special assessments is insufficient to pay all damages or excess of damages over benefits awarded, the difference shall be paid by the city or village. Damages or excess of damages over benefits may be paid out of the fund before the collection of the special assessments and reimbursed when collected.

66.0725(5) (5) Any person against whose land an assessment of benefits is made under this section may appeal as prescribed in s. 32.06 (10) within 30 days of the adoption of the resolution required under sub. (3).

66.0725 History History: 1999 a. 150 s. 546; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0725.

66.0727 66.0727 Special assessments against railroad for street improvement.

66.0727(1) (1) 

66.0727(1)(a) (a) If a city, village or town improves a street, alley or public highway within its corporate limits, including by grading, curbing or paving, if the entire or partial cost of the improvement is assessed against abutting property, and if the street, alley or public highway is crossed by the track of a railroad engaged as a common carrier, the common council or board of public works of the city, or the village or town board, shall, at any time after the completion and acceptance of the improvement by the municipality, file with the local agent of the railroad corporation operating the railroad a statement showing the amount chargeable to the railroad corporation for the improvement.

66.0727(1)(b) (b) The amount chargeable to the railroad corporation is the amount equal to the cost of constructing the improvement along the street, alley or public highway immediately in front of and abutting its right-of-way on each side of the street, alley or public highway at the point where the track crosses the street, alley or public highway, based upon the price per square yard, lineal foot or other unit of value used in determining the total cost of the improvement.

66.0727(2) (2) The amount charged against a railroad corporation for improving the street, alley or public highway, fronting or abutting its right-of-way, may not exceed the average amount per front foot assessed against the remainder of the property fronting or abutting on the improved street, alley or public highway. The amount calculated under sub. (1) and contained in the statement is due and payable by the railroad corporation to the municipality filing the statement within 30 days of the date when the statement is presented to the local representative of the railroad corporation.

66.0727(3) (3) If a railroad corporation fails or refuses to pay a city, village or town the amount set forth in any statement or claim for street, alley or public highway improvements under this section within the time specified in the statement, the city, village or town has a claim for that amount against the railroad corporation and may maintain an action in any circuit court within this state to recover the amount in the statement.

66.0727(4) (4) This section does not preclude a city, village or town from using any other lawful method to compel a railroad corporation to pay its proportionate share of a street, alley or public highway improvement.