Chapter 70

70.64(1) (1) By tax appeals commission. The assessment and determination of the relative value of taxable general property in any county or taxation district, made by the department of revenue under s. 70.57, may be reviewed, and a redetermination of the value of such property may be made by the tax appeals commission, upon appeal by the county or taxation district. The filing of such appeal in the manner provided in this section by any county or taxation district shall impose upon the commission the duty, under the powers conferred upon it by s. 73.01 (4) (a), to review the assessment complained of. If, in its judgment based upon the testimony, evidence and record made on the preliminary hearing of such appeal, the commission finds such assessment to be unequal and discriminatory, it shall determine to correct such assessment to bring it into substantial compliance with law. Except as provided in this section, the appeal shall be taken and such review and redetermination shall be made as provided in ss. 73.01 and 73.015 and under the rules governing the procedure of the commission.

70.64(2) (2) Authorization of appeals. To authorize such appeal an order or resolution directing the same to be taken shall be adopted by the governing body of the county or taxation district taking the appeal at a lawful meeting of the governing body. When an appeal shall have been authorized the prosecution of it shall be in charge of the chairperson of the county board or county administrator or of the chairperson, mayor or president of the taxation district taking the appeal unless otherwise directed by the governing body. The officers or committee in charge of the appeal may employ attorneys to conduct the appeal. After authorizing an appeal as provided in this subsection, any 2 or more taxation districts in the same county may join in taking and prosecuting an appeal.

70.64(3) (3) Form of appeal. To accomplish an appeal there shall be filed with the tax appeals commission on or before October 15 an appeal in writing setting forth:

70.64(3)(a) (a) That the county or taxation district, naming the same, appeals to the tax appeals commission from the assessment made by the department of revenue under s. 70.57, specifying the date of such assessment.

70.64(3)(b) (b) Whether the appeal is to obtain a review and redetermination of the assessment of all the taxation districts of the county or of particular districts only, therein specified.

70.64(3)(c) (c) Whether review and redetermination is desired as to real estate, or personal property, or both.

70.64(3)(d) (d) That the appeal has been authorized by an order or resolution of the county board or governing body of the taxation district in whose behalf the appeal is taken.

70.64(3)(e) (e) A plain and concise statement, without unnecessary repetition, of the facts constituting the grievance sought to be remedied upon appeal, which shall specifically allege in what respects the assessment is in error.

70.64(3)(f) (f) The appeal shall be verified by a member of the governing body of the county or taxation district authorizing the appeal in the manner that pleadings in courts of record are verified. When 2 or more taxation districts join in taking such appeal the verification may be made by the proper officer of any one of them.

70.64(4) (4) Certified copies. Upon the filing of such appeal, the clerk of the county or taxation district, without delay, shall prepare certified copies of it, together with certified copies of the value established by the department of revenue from which the appeal is taken and a complete list showing the clerk of each taxation district within the county and the post-office address of each. The clerk shall mail by certified mail 4 sets of certified copies to the tax appeals commission and one set of the copies to the department of revenue, the county clerk and the clerk of each taxation district within the county.

70.64(5) (5) Appearance. Not later than 30 days after the clerk of the county or taxation district has mailed the certified copies, unless the time is extended by order of the tax appeals commission, any county, town, city or village may cause an appearance to be entered in its behalf before the commission in support of the appeal and uniting with the appellant for the relief demanded; and by verified petition or statement showing grounds therefor may apply for other or further review and redetermination than that demanded in the appeal. Within the same time the county, town, city or village in the county may in the same manner have its appearance entered in opposition to the appeal and to the relief demanded. Such appearances shall be authorized in the manner for authorizing an appeal under sub. (2). When so authorized the interests of the county, town, city or village authorizing it shall be in the charge of the chairperson, mayor or president thereof unless otherwise directed by the body authorizing such appearance; and attorneys may be employed in that behalf. In such appearances any 2 or more of the towns, cities and villages of the county may join if united in support of or in opposition to the appeal. Four copies of each appearance, petition or statement mentioned in this subsection shall be filed in the offices of the tax appeals commission and a copy of each mailed by certified mail to the department of revenue, to the county clerk, and to the clerk of each town, city and village within the county, and a copy to the attorney authorized to appear on behalf of the county or any town, city or village within the county.

70.64(6) (6) Hearing. As soon as practicable, the commission shall set a time and place for preliminary hearing of such appeal. At least 10 days before the time set for such hearing, the commission shall cause notice thereof to be mailed by certified mail to the county clerk and to the attorney or the clerk of each town, city and village in whose behalf an appearance has been entered in the matter of such appeal, and to the clerk of each town, city or village which has not appeared, and mail a like notice to the clerk of the taxation district taking such appeal and to the department of revenue. The department of revenue shall be prepared to present to the commission at such time during the course of the hearings as the commission requires, the full value of all property subject to general property taxation in each town, village and city of the county, as determined by the department according to s. 70.57 (1) or in the case of a complaint by a taxation district under a county assessor such information as the department has in its possession. Said hearing may be adjourned, in the discretion of the tax appeals commission, as often and to such times and places as may be necessary in order to determine the facts. If satisfied that no substantial injustice has been done in the taxation district assessment appealed from, the commission in its discretion may dismiss such appeal. If satisfied that substantial injustice has been done in the taxation district assessment, the commission shall determine to revalue any or all of the taxation districts in the county, which it deems necessary, in a manner which in its judgment is best calculated to secure substantial justice.

70.64(7) (7) Redetermination. The commission shall then proceed to redetermine the value of the taxable general property in such of the taxation districts in the county as it deems necessary. It may include in such redetermination other taxation districts than first determined upon and may include all of the taxation districts in said county, if at any time during the progress of its investigations or revaluations it is satisfied that such course is necessary in order to accomplish substantial justice and to secure relative equality as between all the taxation districts in such county. It shall make careful investigation of the value of taxable general property in the several taxation districts to which such review and redetermination shall extend, in any manner which in its judgment is best calculated to obtain the fair, full value of such property. The commission may employ such experts and other assistants as may be necessary, and fix their compensation. In making such investigations the commission and all persons employed therein by the commission shall have all the authority possessed by assessors so far as applicable, including authority to administer oaths and to examine property owners and witnesses under oath as to the quantity and value of the property subject to assessment belonging to any person or within any taxation district to which the investigation shall extend.

70.64(8) (8) Hearing. The commission may at any time before its final determination appoint a time and place at which it will hear evidence and arguments relevant to the matters under consideration upon such appeal. The time to be devoted to such hearings may be limited as the commission directs. At least 10 days before the time fixed for such hearings, the commission shall cause notice thereof to be mailed by certified mail to the county clerk and to the attorney or other representative of each town, city and village in whose behalf an appearance has been entered in the matter of such appeal, and a like copy to the department of revenue.

70.64(9) (9) Testimony. The tax appeals commission may take testimony. Witnesses summoned at the instance of said commission shall be compensated at the rates provided by law for witnesses in courts of record, the same to be audited and paid the same as other claims against the state, upon the certificate of said commission. If any property owner or other person makes any false statement to said commission or to any person employed by it upon any matter under investigation that person shall be subject to all the forfeitures and penalties imposed by law for false statements to assessors and boards of review.

70.64(10) (10) Determination. The tax appeals commission shall make its determination upon such appeal without unreasonable delay and shall file a copy thereof in the office of the county clerk and mail by certified mail a like copy to the department of revenue and to the clerk and attorney of the taxation district appealing, and a copy to the clerk and attorney of each taxation district having appeared. In such determination the commission shall set forth the relative value of the taxable general property in each town, city and village of such county as found by them, and what sum, if any, shall be added to or deducted from the aggregate value of taxable property in each such taxation district as fixed in the determination of the department of revenue from which such appeal was taken in order to produce a relatively just and equitable taxation district assessment. Such determination shall be final.

70.64(11) (11) Computation. The determination of the commission shall not affect the validity of taxes apportioned in accordance with the taxation district assessment from which such appeal was taken; but if it is determined upon such appeal that such taxation district assessment is relatively unequal, such inequality shall be remedied and compensated in the apportionment of state and county taxes in such county next following the determination of said commission in the following manner: Each town, city and village whose valuation in such taxation district assessment was determined by said commission to be relatively too high shall be credited a sum equal to the amount of taxes charged to it upon such unequal assessment in excess of the amount equitably chargeable thereto according to the determination of the commission; and each town, city and village whose valuation in such taxation district assessment was determined by said commission to be relatively too low shall be charged, in addition to all other taxes, a sum equal to the difference between the amount charged thereto upon such unequal assessment and the amount which should have been charged thereto according to the determination of the commission. The department of revenue shall aid the county clerk in making proper computations.

70.64(12) (12) Expenses. The tax appeals commission shall transmit to the county clerk with its determination on such appeal a statement of all expenses incurred therein by or at the instance of the commission, which shall include the actual expenses of the commission and regular employees of the commission, the compensation and actual expenses of all other persons employed by it and the fees of officers employed and witnesses summoned at its instance. A duplicate of such statement shall be filed in the office of the department of administration. Such expenses shall be audited upon the certificate of the commission, and paid out of the state treasury, in the first instance, as other claims against the state are audited and paid. The amount of such expenses shall be a special charge against such county and shall be included in the next apportionment and certification of state taxes and charges, and collected from such county, as other special charges are certified and collected. Unless otherwise directed by the commission in its determination upon such appeal, the county clerk, in the next apportionment of state and county taxes, shall apportion the amount of such special charges to and among the towns, cities and villages in such county whose relative valuations were increased in the determination of the commission in proportion to the amount of such increase in each of them respectively. The apportionment of such expenses shall be set forth in the determination of the commission. The amount so apportioned to each such town, city and village shall be charged upon its tax roll and shall be collected and paid over to the county treasurer as other state taxes and special charges are collected and paid.

70.64(13) (13) Procedures. The provisions of s. 73.01, insofar as consistent with this section, shall be applicable to proceedings under this section.

70.64 History History: 1973 c. 90; 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 275; 1989 a. 56 s. 258; 1991 a. 316.

70.64 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. TA 1, Wis. adm. code.

70.65 70.65 Tax roll.

70.65(1) (1) Clerk to prepare. Annually the clerk of the taxation district shall prepare a tax roll. The clerk shall begin preparation of the tax roll at a time sufficient to permit timely delivery of the tax roll under s. 74.03.

70.65(2) (2) Content. The tax roll shall do all of the following:

70.65(2)(a) (a) As shown on the assessment roll:

70.65(2)(a)1. 1. Identify all the real property within the taxation district and, with respect to each description of real property, the name and address of the owner and the assessed value.

70.65(2)(a)2. 2. For assessments made before January 1, 2024, identify the name and address of the owners of all taxable personal property within the taxation district and the assessed value of each owner’s taxable personal property.

70.65(2)(b) (b) With respect to each description of real property and each owner of taxable personal property and the personal property assessments made before January 1, 2024:

70.65(2)(b)1. 1. Show the total amount of taxes levied against the property by all taxing jurisdictions to which the property is subject.

70.65(2)(b)2. 2. Show all other taxes, assessments and charges against the property which are authorized by law to be collected as are taxes levied against property.

70.65(2)(c) (c) Set forth the taxes, assessments and charges against property in the tax roll in a manner sufficiently organized and apportioned to permit collection and settlement of the taxes, assessments and charges under ch. 74.

70.65(2)(d) (d) Show the total amount of taxes, assessments and charges to be collected against property within the taxation district.

70.65(2)(e) (e) Direct the treasurer of the taxation district and the county treasurer to collect, under s. 74.07, the amount of taxes, assessments and charges under par. (d).

70.65(2)(f) (f) Set forth any other information required by law or determined necessary by the department of revenue.

70.65(3) (3) Certification of correctness. The clerk of the taxation district shall certify, on the tax roll, that the information contained in the tax roll is accurate, to the clerk’s best knowledge.

70.65(4) (4) Form. The format of the tax roll shall be prescribed by the department of revenue under s. 70.09 (3).

70.65(5) (5) Delivery. The clerk of the taxation district shall transfer the tax roll under s. 74.03.

70.65 History History: 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 300, 532; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 27, 378; 2023 a. 12.

70.65 Annotation A municipality is entitled to rely on the address provided on the transfer tax return until it is provided with information reasonably calculated to inform of a new address. Pocius v. Kenosha County, 231 Wis. 2d 596, 605 N.W.2d 915 (Ct. App. 1999), 98-3176.

70.67 70.67 Municipal treasurer’s bond; substitute for.

70.67(1) (1) The treasurer of each town, city, or village shall, unless exempted under sub. (2), execute and deliver to the county treasurer a bond, with sureties, to be approved, in case of a town treasurer, by the chairperson of the town, and in case of a city or village treasurer by the county treasurer, conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties of the office and that the treasurer will account for and pay over according to law all taxes of any kind which are received and which are required to be paid to the county treasurer. If such bond is executed the amount of the bond shall be no less than the amount of state and county taxes apportioned to the town, village, or city. The county treasurer shall give to the town, city, or village treasurer a receipt for the bond, and shall file and safely keep the bond in the county treasurer’s office.

70.67(2) (2) The treasurer of any municipality shall not be required to give such bond if the governing body thereof shall by ordinance obligate such municipality to pay, in case the treasurer thereof shall fail so to do, all taxes of any kind required by law to be paid by such treasurer to the county treasurer. Such governing body is authorized to so obligate such municipality. If the governing body of the municipality has adopted an ordinance as specified in this subsection, it may demand from its treasurer, in addition to the official bond required of all municipal treasurers, a fidelity or surety bond in an amount and upon such terms as may be determined by the governing body. Such bond shall run to the town or village board or the city council, as the case may be, and shall be delivered to the clerk of the municipality. A certified copy of such ordinance filed with the county treasurer shall be accepted by the county treasurer in lieu of the bond required by sub. (1). Such ordinance shall remain in effect until a certified copy of its repeal shall be filed with the county clerk and the county treasurer. The official bond executed pursuant to s. 19.01, required of municipal treasurers, shall extend to and include the liability incurred by any town, city or village whose governing board shall adopt and certify to the county treasurer an ordinance in accordance with this subsection.

70.67 History History: 1975 c. 375 s. 44; 1975 c. 421; 1989 a. 56 s. 258; 1991 a. 316; 2017 a. 52.

70.67 Annotation For purposes of sub. (2), the town board is the governing body of the town. 63 Atty. Gen. 10.

70.68 70.68 Collection of taxes.

70.68(1) (1) Collection in certain cities. For taxes levied before January 1, 2024, in cities authorized to act under s. 74.87, the chief of police shall collect all state, county, city, school, and other taxes due on personal property as shall then remain unpaid, and the chief of police shall possess all the powers given by law to town treasurers for the collection of such taxes, and be subject to the liabilities and entitled to the same fees as town treasurers in such cases, but such fees shall be turned over to the city treasurer and become a part of the general fund.

70.68(2) (2) Bond of chief of police. The chief of police shall give a bond to the city, in such sum and with such sureties as the council may prescribe, for the payment to the city treasurer of all taxes collected by the chief of police.

70.68 History History: 1985 a. 135; 1987 a. 378; 1991 a. 316; 2023 a. 12.

70.71 70.71 Proceedings if roll not made.

70.71(1) (1) Whenever any town, city or village clerk neglects or refuses to make and deliver the tax roll within the time required by law the county clerk shall, at any time after such neglect or refusal, demand and summarily obtain the assessment roll for such year, and make, in the same manner as required of the town clerk, a tax roll for such town, city or village and deliver the same to the county treasurer for collection.

70.71(2) (2) If the assessment roll cannot be obtained the county clerk may use a copy thereof if obtainable. If the clerk can obtain neither original nor copy the clerk shall make out, to the best of the clerk’s ability, a tax roll from the last assessment or tax roll on file in the clerk’s office or in the office of the county treasurer, which shall then be taken and deemed conclusively the legal tax roll of such town for all purposes whatever. For all such services the county clerk shall be allowed by the county board and paid from the county treasury a reasonable compensation, which shall be charged to the town in the next apportionment of taxes.

70.71 History History: 1975 c. 324; 1987 a. 378; 1991 a. 316.

70.72 70.72 Clerical help on reassessment. Whenever a reassessment or reassessments of taxes shall hereafter be ordered in any town, the town board of such town may employ such additional clerical help for the purpose of preparing the tax rolls upon such reassessment as in its judgment shall be necessary.

70.73 70.73 Correction of tax roll.

70.73(1) (1) Before delivery.

70.73(1)(a) (a) If it is discovered by any town, village or city clerk or treasurer that any parcel of land has been erroneously described on the tax roll the clerk or treasurer shall correct the description.

70.73(1)(b) (b) If a town, village, or city clerk or treasurer discovers that personal property has been assessed to the wrong person for assessments made before January 1, 2024, or 2 or more parcels of land belonging to different persons have been erroneously assessed together on the tax roll, the clerk or treasurer shall notify the assessor and all parties interested, if the parties are residents of the county, by notice in writing to appear at the clerk’s office at some time, not less than 5 days thereafter, to correct the assessment roll.

70.73(1)(c) (c) At the time and place designated in the notice given under par. (b), the assessment roll shall be corrected by entering the correct names of the persons liable to assessment, describing each parcel of land and giving the proper valuation to each parcel separately owned. The total valuation given to the separate tracts of real estate shall be equal to the valuation given to the same property when the several parcels were assessed together.

70.73(1)(d) (d) The valuation of parcels of land may be made at any time before the tax roll is returned to the county treasurer for the year in which the tax is levied. The valuation, when made under this subsection, shall be held just and correct and be final and conclusive.

70.73(1m) (1m) After board of review. If a town, village, or city clerk or treasurer discovers a palpable error, as described under s. 74.33 (1), in the assessment roll after the board of review has adjourned for the year under s. 70.47 (4), the clerk or treasurer shall correct the assessment roll before calculating the property taxes that are due on the property related to the error and notify the department of revenue of the correction under s. 70.57.

70.73(3) (3) Notice of correction. When the assessment roll shall have been so corrected the clerk shall enter a marginal note on the roll stating when the correction was made by the assessor; and if the taxes shall have been extended against the property previously the clerk shall correct the tax roll in the same manner that the assessment roll was corrected, and extend against each tract the proper amount of tax to be collected.

70.73 History History: 1987 a. 378; 1991 a. 316; 1997 a. 253; 2001 a. 16; 2015 a. 317; 2023 a. 12.

70.74 70.74 Lien of reassessed tax.

70.74(1) (1) Whenever any tax or assessment or any part thereof levied on real estate, whether heretofore or hereafter levied, shall have been set aside or determined to be illegal or void or the collection thereof prevented by the judgment of a court or the action of the county board; or whenever any town, city or village treasurer shall have been prevented by injunction from collecting or returning as delinquent any such tax or assessment in consequence of any irregularity or error in any of the proceedings in the assessment of such real estate, the levy of such tax or the proceedings for its collection, or of any erroneous or imperfect description of such real estate, or of any omission to comply with any form or step required by law, or of the affixing of a revenue stamp to the tax certificate, and including the amount thereof in the same, or the including of any illegal addition with the lawful tax, or for any other cause, then, if the real estate was properly taxable or assessable, if it be not a proper case to collect by inclusion of the land in the tax certificate next issued under s. 74.57, such tax, or so much thereof as shall not have been collected and as may be taxable or assessable thereto may be reassessed or relevied upon such real estate at any time within 3 years after such judgment or such action of the county board or the dissolution of such injunction; and the proper town board, village board, board of trustees or common council shall make an order directing the same to be reassessed upon such real estate, and the clerk shall insert the same in the tax roll, opposite such real estate, in a separate column, as an additional tax, and the same shall be collected as a part of the tax for the year when so placed on the roll. Any such school district tax shall be so reassessed and relevied on the order of the town board; but the provisions of this section shall not be construed as conflicting with, limiting or in any way affecting the reassessment provided for in ss. 75.54 and 75.55. The lien of any tax reassessed as provided in this section shall attach to the land as of the date when such tax as originally levied became a lien and shall continue and constitute the lien of any tax certificate issued which includes such lands for such reassessed tax.

70.74(2) (2) Whenever any tax or assessment or any part thereof levied on real estate shall have been set aside or determined to be illegal or void or the collection thereof prevented by the judgment of a court or the action of the county board and such tax or assessment shall not be justly reassessable, the county board may order such tax or assessment to be charged back to the respective town, city or village wherein such lands are situated in the next apportionment of county taxes, provided that the amount so charged back shall not include any tax or assessment the illegality of which is solely attributable to erroneous action by the county or its officers.

70.74 History History: 1987 a. 378.

70.75 70.75 Reassessments.

70.75(1) (1) Reassessments, how made.

70.75(1)(a) (a)

70.75(1)(a)1. 1. The owners of taxable property in any taxation district, other than an assessment district within the corporate limits of any 1st class city, whose property has an aggregate assessed valuation of not less than 5 percent of the assessed valuation of all of the property in the district according to the assessment sought to be corrected, may submit to the department of revenue a written petition concerning the assessed valuation of their property. Subject to subd. 2. and sub. (1m), if the department finds that the assessment of property in the taxation district is not in substantial compliance with the law and that the interest of the public will be promoted by a reassessment, the department may order a reassessment of all or of any part of the taxable property in the district to be made by one or more persons appointed for that purpose by the department.

70.75(1)(a)2. 2. The department may dismiss any petition for reassessment if, prior to the entry of a reassessment order under subd. 1., the taxation district involved determines under s. 70.055 that employing expert help to aid in assessing property would be in the public interest and if, after receiving departmental approval, the taxation district does employ expert help for either of the 2 years following the assessment year complained of.

70.75(1)(a)3. 3. If the department performs the reassessment or special supervision under sub. (3), the department shall designate the person responsible for the reassessment. If the department appoints a corporation for the reassessment or special supervision under sub. (3), the corporation shall designate the person responsible for the reassessment. The corporate or departmental designee shall file the official oath under s. 19.01.

70.75(1)(a)4. 4. If a petition under subd. 1. is filed in the office of the department the department shall, under the powers conferred by s. 73.03 (1), review the assessment complained of. If the department finds the assessment is not in substantial compliance with law and that public interest will be promoted by a reassessment, it shall correct such assessment by a reassessment as provided in this section. The department’s duty to reassess is not impaired by any action, subsequent to such filing, of any taxpayer represented in the application.

70.75(1)(a)5. 5. As a part of its investigation of the assessment complained of, the department shall hold a hearing at some convenient place within or near the taxation district which is sought to be reassessed. At such hearing testimony may be offered as to the inequality or equality of the assessment, whether or not the public interest will be promoted by a reassessment and as to such other matters as may be desired by the department. Notice of the hearing specifying the time and place of the hearing shall be mailed to the clerk of the taxation district and the first signer of the application for reassessment, not less than 8 days before the time fixed for the hearing.

70.75(1)(a)6. 6. The department shall keep on file its order directing such reassessment and naming the persons appointed to make the reassessment. In addition, the department shall transmit a copy of the order to the clerk of the taxation district, to the supervisor of equalization of the county in which the district is located and to each of the persons appointed to make such reassessment and serve on the board for the review of the reassessment. Service of a copy of the order is legal notice to these people of their appointment. No person may be authorized by the department to make a reassessment or to provide special supervision instead of reassessment unless the person is willing and able to use the assessment manual.

70.75(1)(b) (b) All assessment personnel appointed under this section in 1974 and thereafter shall have passed an examination and have been certified by the department of revenue as qualified for performing the functions of the office to which appointed. Any person appointed under par. (a) or sub. (3) shall be certified as an expert appraiser as provided in s. 70.055 (1).

70.75(1m) (1m) Additional requirements. The department may not proceed under sub. (1) (a) with respect to a petition filed by a property owner who owns more than 5 percent of the assessed valuation of all the property in a taxation district if within the 3 years preceding the date of the petition that person petitioned for reassessment and the department of revenue did not order a reassessment under sub. (1) or special supervision under sub. (3) unless, in addition to that property owner, an owner or owners of an additional 5 percent of the assessed valuation of the taxation district join in the petition. If a petition is denied under this subsection, the property owner who petitioned twice within a 3-year period shall pay 75 percent of the department of revenue’s costs in respect to that petition. Payments under this subsection shall be made to the department of revenue for deposit in the appropriation under s. 20.566 (2) (h).

70.75(2) (2) Persons appointed to reassess, powers and duties. The person or persons appointed under sub. (1) to make a reassessment, without delay, shall severally take and subscribe an oath or affirmation to support the constitution of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin and to faithfully perform the duties imposed upon that person in respect to the reassessment to the best of that person’s ability, and shall file the same with the department of revenue. Thereupon the person or persons appointed to make the reassessment shall proceed with diligence to make a reassessment of all the taxable property in the affected district. For that purpose the person or persons appointed to make the reassessment shall have all the power and authority given by law to assessors in the district and shall perform all the duties and be subject to all restrictions and penalties imposed by law upon assessors in the district. The person or persons appointed to make the reassessment shall have access to all public records and files which may be necessary or useful in the performance of the reassessment, and while engaged therein shall be entitled to have custody and possession of the roll containing the original assessment in the district and all property and other statements and memoranda relating thereto. A blank assessment roll and all property statements and other blank forms necessary for the purposes of the reassessment shall be furnished by the county clerk at the expense of the county upon the application of the department of revenue.

70.75(3) (3) Special supervision instead of reassessment. Whenever the department determines, after the hearing provided for in sub. (1) or in the determination under s. 70.05 (5) (d), that the assessment complained of was not made in substantial compliance with law but that the interests of all the taxpayers of such district will best be promoted by special supervision of succeeding assessments to the end that the assessment of such district shall thereafter be lawfully made, it may proceed as follows: It may designate one or more employees of the department or appoint one or more other qualified persons to assist the local assessor in making the assessments to be thereafter made in such district. Any person so appointed may give all or such part of that person’s time to such supervision as, in the judgment of the department, is necessary to complete such assessment in substantial compliance with the law, and in performing such task shall have all the powers given by law to any person designated to make a reassessment and together with the assessor shall constitute an assessment board as defined in s. 70.055.

70.75(4) (4) Costs. Except as provided in sub. (1m), all costs of the department of revenue in connection with reassessment or special supervision under this section shall be borne by the taxation district. These receipts shall be credited to the appropriation under s. 20.566 (2) (h). Past due accounts shall be certified on or before the 4th Monday of August of each year and included in the next apportionment of state special charges to local units of government.

70.75(5) (5) Definitions. In this section, for those taxation districts that are under a county assessor system, the terms “local assessor” and “board of review” include the county assessor and the county board of review, respectively.

70.75 History History: 1973 c. 90; 1977 c. 29; 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 27, 241; 1983 a. 275 s. 15 (1), (3); 1991 a. 316.

70.76 70.76 Board of correction.

70.76(1) (1) Notice, proof.

70.76(1)(a) (a) In the order for reassessment the department of revenue shall designate 3 persons to serve as a board for the correction and review of the reassessment. As soon as practicable the person making the reassessment shall inform the clerk of the district of the date on which the reassessment will be ready for the consideration of the board. The information shall be given in time to enable the clerk to give the notice required in this subsection.

70.76(1)(b) (b) The clerk shall give notice that the board will meet on the date at the place provided by law for the meeting of the regular board of review of the district, specifying the place. The clerk shall record the notice in the record book of proceedings of the board of review of the district after first recording the order for reassessment. The clerk shall post the notice in 3 conspicuous public places in the district and shall also serve a copy of the notice upon each of the persons named to act as the board and upon the department of revenue if the reassessment is not made by the department. The posting and service shall be at least one week before the day designated for the meeting.

70.76(1)(c) (c) In case of the failure or refusal of the clerk to give and serve the notice in the manner prescribed within 5 days after being requested to do so by the person making the reassessment, the department of revenue may give and serve the notice with the same force and effect as if given and served by the clerk. The service may be by personal delivery to the person to be served or by leaving the copy at the person’s usual place of abode or by mailing it in a sealed envelope postpaid and directed to the person at the person’s post-office address.

70.76(1)(d) (d) A memorandum stating the time and place of posting and the time and manner of service shall be entered by the clerk in the record. The memorandum, authenticated by the signature of the clerk, is presumptive evidence of the facts stated. The fact, time and manner of posting and service may be proved by any person having knowledge of the facts even though no entry of a memorandum is made.

70.76(2) (2) Hearing. The persons designated to serve as a board to review the reassessment shall attend at the time and place specified in the notice. A majority of them constitutes a quorum. Before proceeding in the review they shall be sworn by the clerk or by some other person authorized by law to administer oaths, to faithfully and impartially perform their duties in respect to the reassessment. The clerk of the district shall attend and serve as the clerk of the board at all its sessions and shall perform all the duties required of clerks at meetings of the regular board of review of the district, except that the clerk shall have no voice in the determinations of the board.