Thursday, January 8, 2009

A Little Help, Please?

Does anyone have any idea what to make of this?

Last night Mary Lazich -- on yet another of her anti-tax pity parties -- unloaded this list on her readers. It's the counties with the highest property taxes in the state. Here they are:
1) Dane County $3,977
2) Ozaukee County $3,924
3) Waukesha County $3,864
4) Milwaukee County $3,544
5) Pierce County $3,395
6) Washington County $3,372
7) Kenosha County $3,363
8) St. Croix County $3,245
9) Racine County $3,101
10) Walworth County $3,013
I find this list absolutely fascinating. On the one hand, these are primarily urban, suburban and exurban counties with larger populations and, consequently, more demands on government services. But several of these counties -- specifically the collar communities around Milwaukee -- are the very epicenter of the anti-tax movement in Wisconsin. Ozaukee, Waukesha and Washington are some of the "reddest" counties in the state (and St. Croix is right behind them according to some Republicans) ...

Now, I ask this question free of any snark and out of a genuine desire to rememdy my ignorance of the local politics of these areas -- but what gives? Why do areas that have such vocal disposition against taxes have some of the highest property taxes -- the tax that is actually controled locally -- in the state?

My thanks in advance.

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