Wisconsin State Journal Editorial:
But at some point, Madison voters need to say “no” to something if our city is going to be affordable for ordinary people. Otherwise, it will betray its progressive values. The only people who will be able to live here will be those with well-above-average incomes. Madison will become a playground for the wealthy, rather than a great city for all.
That goes for people who rent, too, not just those who own their home. While renters don’t pay property taxes directly, their landlords do. And landlords eventually pass
much of that cost to tenants.
Our editorial board endorsed two of the three referendums on Madison ballots last year. So like most city voters, we share some of the responsibility for this year’s jump in local property taxes.
But we didn’t endorse the most expensive of the three questions: the School District’s operational referendum, which will eventually increase the tax levy by $100 million every year indefinitely. That’s a much bigger impact than the other two referendums will cause in paying for new schools and preserving municipal services.
It’s too late to object now, of course. And higher tax loads have been building for years. So have soaring home values. It’s a cumulation of factors more than one round of referendums. Madison residents enjoy having lots of government services.
Moving forward, though, local officials need to ask tough questions about higher spending. And so do voters, if and when the school district or city come back for more.
Madison’s k-12 property tax burden, which, according to District budget documents is $478,683,790, up 19.48% from 2024-2025 and 32% from 2022-2023.