Chapter 73

73.10(2)(a)1.b. b. Information regarding the expenditure of public funds for all purposes.

73.10(2)(a)1.c. c. Any other information that is considered necessary by the department.

73.10(2)(a)2. 2. Information collected under subd. 1. shall be on forms prescribed by the department that include any requirements under par. (b). All public officers requested to provide information under subd. 1. shall properly complete and promptly return to the department all forms transmitted to them by the department.

73.10(2)(a)3. 3. The department shall examine all town, village, city, county, and other public records that the department considers necessary. The department shall publish annually the information collected under this paragraph, with any compilations, analyses, or recommendations that the department determines are necessary. The department shall disseminate information concerning local government accounting, auditing, and fiscal matters.

73.10(2)(b) (b)

73.10(2)(b)1. 1. The department may require by rule all of the following:

73.10(2)(b)1.a. a. That the information it needs under par. (a) be submitted as annual financial statements, notes to the financial statements, and supporting schedules.

73.10(2)(b)1.b. b. That the statements, notes, and schedules under subd. 1. a. conform to generally accepted accounting principles promulgated by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board or its successor bodies.

73.10(2)(b)1.c. c. That the statements, notes, and schedules under subd. 1. a. be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.

73.10(2)(b)2. 2. Notwithstanding s. 227.01 (13) (j), a rule promulgated under this paragraph is subject to the requirements of ch. 227.

73.10(2)(c) (c) Beginning in 2021, each municipality that is eligible to receive a payment under s. 79.097 shall submit with the information required under pars. (a) and (b) the actual annual revenues received under s. 66.0420 (7).

73.10(3) (3) The department may inspect and examine or cause an inspection and examination of the records of any town, city, village, county or other public officer whenever such officer fails or neglects to return properly the information required by sub. (2) within the time specified under s. 86.303 (5) (c), (d) or (g).

73.10(4) (4) The officers responsible for the furnishing of information collected pursuant to this section shall be jointly and severally liable for any loss the town, city, village, county or other local public body, board, commission or agency suffers through their delinquency; and no payment shall be made them for salary, or on any other accounts, until the total amount of charges for such inspection and examination as provided in sub. (6) has been paid into the treasury of the regular county or other local public body, board, commission or agency.

73.10(5) (5) The department may inquire into the system of accounting of public funds in use by towns, villages, cities, counties and all other local public bodies, boards, commissions, departments or agencies except technical college districts and school districts; devise a system of accounts which is as nearly uniform as practicable; and audit the books of the town, village, city, county or other local public body, board, commission, department or agency, or any municipal electric utility upon its own motion.

73.10(6) (6) The department may establish a scale of charges for audits, inspections, and other services rendered by the department in connection with financial records or procedures of towns, villages, cities, counties, and all other local public bodies, boards, commissions, departments, or agencies. Upon the completion of such work or, at the department’s discretion, during work in progress, the department shall transmit to the clerk of the town, village, city, county, or other local public body, board, commission, department, or agency a statement of such charges. Duplicates of the statements shall be filed in the office of the secretary of administration. Within 60 days after the receipt of the above statement of charges, it shall be audited as other claims against towns, villages, cities, counties, and other local public bodies, boards, commissions, departments, or agencies are audited, and it shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the appropriation under s. 20.566 (2) (gi). Past due accounts of towns, villages, cities, counties, and all other local public bodies, boards, commissions, departments, or agencies 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.

73.10 History History: 1971 c. 108 ss. 1, 4, 6; 1971 c. 125 ss. 36, 394; 1971 c. 154 s. 1; 1971 c. 211 ss. 85, 86; 1973 c. 90; 1973 c. 243 s. 82; 1975 c. 224; 1977 c. 29, 418; 1981 c. 20, 237; 1983 a. 27; 1983 a. 192 s. 303 (7); 1985 a. 29; 1985 a. 182 s. 57; 1985 a. 225; 1987 a. 399; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 399; 2001 a. 107; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 149; 2019 a. 9.

73.10 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. Tax 16, Wis. adm. code.

73.12 73.12 Set off of payments to vendors.

73.12(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

73.12(1)(a) (a) “Tax” means an amount that is owed to this state under ch. 71, 72, 76, 77, 78 or 139 and any addition to tax, interest, penalties or other liability in respect to those amounts and that has been reduced to a tax warrant or in respect to which the time limit for appeal has passed.

73.12(1)(b) (b) “Vendor” means a person providing goods or services to this state under subch. IV or V of ch. 16 or under ch. 84.

73.12(2) (2) Request for setoff. The department of revenue may request the department of administration to proceed under sub. (3) against any vendor who owes a tax. A request under this subsection consists of identification of the vendor and of the vendor’s contracts with this state and notice to the vendor of the request for a setoff.

73.12(3) (3) Setoff. Upon receipt of a request under sub. (2), the department of administration shall begin to set off against amounts owed by this state to a vendor taxes owed to this state by that vendor until those taxes are paid in full. If the secretary of administration determines, within 30 days after receipt of a request for setoff, that the vendor against whom setoff is requested is either an essential supplier of critical commodities or the only vendor from whom a necessary good or service can be obtained and notifies the secretary of revenue of that determination, the department of administration shall waive the right of setoff and the department of administration shall pay to the vendor the amounts set off. The department of administration shall, within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, transfer to the department of revenue the taxes set off during the previous calendar quarter for deposit in the general fund, or in the transportation fund in respect to taxes owed under ch. 78, and shall notify the department of revenue of the amounts set off against each vendor.

73.12(4) (4) Application of proceeds. Upon notice under sub. (3), the department of revenue shall reduce on its books the liability of the vendor by the amount set off. The department shall reduce the principal amount of tax liability and related amounts beginning with the liability of longest standing and proceeding chronologically to the most recent liability. In respect to each principal amount of liability and related amounts, the department of revenue shall reduce amounts in the order provided in s. 71.91 (5) (k).

73.12(5) (5) Liability precluded. Exchange of information required to administer this section does not result in liability under s. 71.78, 72.06, 77.61 (5), 78.80 (3) or 139.38 (6). The department of administration is not liable to any vendor because of setoffs under this section.

73.12(6) (6) Preservation of other remedies. The availability of the remedy under this section does not abridge the rights of the department of revenue to proceed under ss. 71.80 (12), 71.91 (1) (a) and (c) and (2) to (5m) and 71.92.

73.12(7) (7) Tax identification information. The department of administration may collect from vendors and provide to the department of revenue any tax identification information that the department of revenue requires to administer the program under this section.

73.12 History History: 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 312 s. 17; 1989 a. 31; 1997 a. 237; 2005 a. 25.

73.13 73.13 Reducing nondelinquent taxes.

73.13(1) (1) In this section:

73.13(1)(a) (a) “Department” means the department of revenue.

73.13(1)(b) (b) “Tax” means an amount that is owed to this state under s. 66.0615 (1m) (f) 3. or ch. 71, 72, 76, 77, 78, or 139, and that is not delinquent.

73.13(2) (2) 

73.13(2)(a) (a) A taxpayer may petition the department to reduce the taxpayer’s taxes, including the costs, penalties, and interest related to the taxpayer’s taxes. The petition shall set forth a sworn statement of the taxpayer and shall be in a form that the department prescribes. The department may examine the taxpayer under oath about the petition and may require the taxpayer to provide the department with financial statements and any other information requested by the department that is related to the petition.

73.13(2)(b) (b) If the department determines that the taxpayer is unable to pay the taxes, costs, penalties, and interest in full, the department shall determine the amount that the taxpayer is able to pay and shall enter an order reducing the taxes in accordance with the department’s determination. The order shall provide either that the order is effective only if the reduced taxes are paid in full within 10 days from the date on which the order is issued or that the order is effective only if the reduced taxes are paid according to a payment schedule that the department determines. The department or its collection agents, upon receipt of the order, shall accept payment in accordance with the order. Upon payment of the reduced taxes, the department shall credit the unpaid portion of the principal amount of the taxes and record the unpaid amount of costs, penalties, and interest accrued to the date of the order.

73.13(2)(c) (c) If within 3 years from either the date of the order under par. (b) or the date of the final payment according to a payment schedule as determined under par. (b), whichever is later, the department of revenue ascertains that the taxpayer has an income or owns property sufficient to enable the taxpayer to pay the unpaid portion of the principal amount of the taxes due, including the costs, penalties, and interest recorded under par. (b), the department shall reopen the order under par. (b) and order the taxpayer to pay in full the unpaid portion of the principal amount of the taxes due, including the costs, penalties, and interest recorded under par. (b). Before the entry of the order for payment, the department of revenue shall send a written notice to the taxpayer advising the taxpayer of the department’s intention to reopen the order under par. (b) and fixing a time and place for the appearance of the taxpayer, if the taxpayer desires a hearing. If the department of revenue determines that the taxpayer is able to pay the unpaid portion of the principal amount of the taxes due, including the costs, penalties, and interest recorded under par. (b), the department shall enter the order for payment in full. The unpaid portion of the principal amount of the taxes due, including the costs, penalties, and interest recorded under par. (b), are due and payable immediately upon entry of the order for payment in full and thereafter are subject to the interest under s. 71.82 (2), as that subsection applies to delinquent income and franchise taxes under s. 71.82, and to the delinquent account fee under s. 73.03 (33m).

73.13 History History: 2005 a. 49; 2017 a. 324.

73.15 73.15 Hardware and software used to maintain medical records.

73.15(1) (1) The department of revenue shall implement a program to certify health care providers as eligible for the electronic medical records credit under ss. 71.07 (5i), 71.28 (5i), and 71.47 (5i).

73.15(2) (2) If the department of revenue certifies a health care provider under sub. (1), the department shall determine the amount of credits to allocate to the health care provider. The total amount of electronic medical records credits allocated to health care providers in any year may not exceed $10,000,000.

73.15(3) (3) The department of revenue shall promulgate rules to administer this section.

73.15 History History: 2007 a. 20; 2011 a. 32 ss. 3355g to 3355m; Stats. 2011 s. 73.15.

73.16 73.16 General provision.

73.16(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

73.16(1)(ab) (ab) “Combined group” has the meaning given in s. 71.255 (1) (a).

73.16(1)(b) (b) “Department” means the department of revenue.

73.16(1)(c) (c) “Person who is a party to the determination” means a person who requests a determination for that person’s benefit, files a claim for a refund, or is assessed by the department, but not including any of the following:

73.16(1)(c)1. 1. A person who, on behalf of another person, requests a determination or a claim for a refund or appeals a determination.

73.16(1)(c)2. 2. A shareholder of a tax-option corporation, a member of a limited liability company, or a partner of a partnership, unless such an individual is named or identified in the determination, claim for a refund, or assessment.

73.16(1)(c)3. 3. An anonymous person who requests a determination.

73.16(1)(d) (d) “Published” means prepared and issued for public distribution and does not include guidance on a private matter or issue.

73.16(1)(e) (e) “Written guidance” means a written statement made by an employee of the department acting in an official capacity regarding a Wisconsin tax question to the person or the person’s representative.

73.16(2) (2) Relying on published guidance.

73.16(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), in the course of any determination, or in the course of any proceeding appealing any determination, the department shall not take a position that is contrary to any rule promulgated by the department that was in effect during the period related to the determination or that is contrary to any guidance published by the department prior to that period and not subsequently retracted, altered, or amended by the department or the legislature or by a final and conclusive decision of the tax appeals commission or courts.

73.16(2)(am) (am) Except as provided in par. (c), in the course of any determination, or in the course of any proceeding appealing a determination, the department shall not take a position that is contrary to any written guidance that was provided to a person who is a party to the determination or the appeal of the determination regarding the same facts as in the determination and not subsequently retracted, altered, or amended by the department or the legislature or by a final and conclusive decision of the tax appeals commission or courts.

73.16(2)(b) (b) The department may retroactively apply any rule change that is related to implementing a legislative act or a final and conclusive decision of the tax appeals commission or the courts to take effect no earlier than the act’s effective date or the date on which the decision became final and conclusive, unless otherwise prescribed by the legislature, tax appeals commission, or court, and only if the department submits the rule’s scope statement to the governor for approval under s. 227.135 (2) no later than 18 months after the latter of the legislative act’s publication date, effective date, or initial applicability date, or the date on which the decision becomes final and conclusive. A retroactive application of a rule change not described under this paragraph shall be subject to approval under s. 227.185.

73.16(2)(c) (c) With regard to any position taken by the department in any matter described under par. (am), if the department retracts, alters, or amends previously published or previously issued written guidance for any purpose other than to implement a legislative act or final and conclusive decision of the tax appeals commission or courts, the department shall apply the retraction, alteration, or amendment prospectively only, unless the change is to a taxpayer’s benefit, in which case, the department shall apply the retraction, alteration, or amendment retroactively. A retroactive change in any previously published or previously issued written guidance related to implementing a legislative act or final and conclusive decision of the tax appeals commission or courts may take effect no earlier than the act’s effective date or the date on which the decision became final and conclusive unless otherwise prescribed by the legislature or ordered by the courts.

73.16(3) (3) Relying on past audits.

73.16(3)(a) (a) A person who is subject to an audit determination by the department, including all other members of that person’s combined group for purposes of determining the tax due under s. 71.23 for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008, shall not be liable for any amount that the department asserts that the person owes if all of the following conditions are satisfied:

73.16(3)(a)1. 1. The liability asserted by the department is the result of a tax issue during the period associated with a prior audit determination for which the person is subject to and the tax issue is the same as the tax issue during the period associated with the current audit determination.

73.16(3)(a)2. 2. A department employee who was involved in the prior audit determination identified or reviewed the tax issue before completing the prior audit determination, as shown by any schedules, exhibits, audit reports, documents, or other written evidence pertaining to the audit determination, and the schedules, exhibits, reports, documents and other written evidence show that the department did not adjust the person’s treatment of the tax issue.

73.16(3)(a)3. 3. The liability asserted by the department as described under subd. 1. was not asserted in the prior audit determination.

73.16(3)(b) (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to any period associated with an audit determination, if the period begins after the promulgation of a rule, dissemination of written guidance to the public or to the person who is subject to the audit determination, the effective date of a statute, or the date on which a tax appeals commission or court decision becomes final and conclusive and if the rule, guidance, statute, or decision imposes the liability as a result of the tax issue described in par. (a) 1.

73.16(3)(c) (c) Paragraph (a) does not apply to any period associated with an audit determination if any of the following applies:

73.16(3)(c)1. 1. The department establishes by clear and satisfactory evidence that the taxpayer provided incomplete or false information relevant to the tax issue in the prior audit determination.

73.16(3)(c)2. 2. The tax issue was settled in the prior audit determination by a written agreement between the department and the taxpayer that was entered into before April 5, 2018.

73.16(3)(c)3. 3. The tax issue was settled in the prior audit determination by a written agreement between the department and the taxpayer that was entered into on or after April 5, 2018, and in which the parties acknowledged that the department did not adopt the taxpayer’s position on the tax issue.

73.16(4) (4) Negligence determinations. The department shall not impose a penalty on a taxpayer under ss. 71.09 (11) (d), 71.83 (1) (a) 1. to 4. and 12. and (3) (a), 76.05 (2), 76.14, 76.28 (6) (b), 76.39 (3), 76.645 (2), 77.60 (2) (intro.), (3), and (4), 78.68 (3) and (4), and 139.25 (3) and (4), unless the department shows that the taxpayer’s action or inaction was due to the taxpayer’s willful neglect and not to reasonable cause.

73.16(5) (5) Applicability. Except as provided in sub. (4), notwithstanding any other provision of law, this section applies to all taxes and fees administered by the department.

73.16 History History: 2011 a. 68; 2013 a. 20; 2017 a. 231; 2021 a. 262.