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📊 METHODOLOGY EXPLAINED

How Property Taxes Work:

  1. Mill Rate Calculation: Tax Revenue ÷ Total Assessed Value = Mill Rate

  2. Individual Tax: Your Assessed Value × Mill Rate = Your Tax

  3. Levy Limits: Wisconsin caps total revenue growth at ~3–4% annually

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Revaluation Impact:

  1. Assessment Increase: Citywide average +49% forces mill rates down ~33%

  2. Individual Impact: Depends on your increase vs. citywide average (~54% for residential)

  3. School Exception: Voter-approved referendum bypasses levy limits (+~$814 median home)

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Commercial Burden Shift:

  1. Commercial Underperformance: Commercial properties increased ~42% vs ~54% residential

  2. Revenue Gap: Commercial now pays 1.9% - 2.1% less of total tax burden depending on calculations of assessment shift.

  3. The ~$200 million shift in assessed value from commercial to residential properties does not mean $200 million in new taxes. Instead, it represents a redistribution of the tax burden. We estimate this shift will result in approximately $3.5 - $5 million in additional property taxes being paid by residential property owners.

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Data Sources:

  • Mill rates calculated from actual 2024 Wauwatosa tax bills

  • Assessment data from 2024 and 2025 city assessment databases (15,747 properties)

  • School referendum rates from official district calculator

  • Levy limits from Wisconsin State Statutes 66.0602

 

You can find the City of Wauwatosa's Property Tax Calculator Here

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We also recommend using the City’s official calculator to get a more complete picture of your upcoming property tax bill. 

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Disclaimer: Onward Tosa is a group of concerned residents committed to transparency and public awareness. The information and estimates presented here are for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as official, legal, or financial advice.  For questions regarding your property assessment or tax obligations, please consult the City of Wauwatosa Assessor’s Office or a qualified professional. Onward Tosa and its volunteer contributors makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the data provided and assumes no liability for any actions taken based on this information.

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