Assessments, Assessor & Taxes

Property Tax Information

Tax bills are sent out as early as possible in December, often received within the last two weeks.

You can view and print your Real Estate Tax bill online at www.co.columbia.wi.us.   Enter your information in any one of the criteria boxes.  It is best to only enter information in one area and click on the correct drop-down option when it appears.  Being too specific can cause problems.

Options for paying taxes:

1st installment or payment in full is due by January 31st, payable to the Town of Dekorra.  

For questions please call (608) 635-5584.

  1. Check your tax insert for in-person collection dates.
  2. Mail:  Town of Dekorra Treasurer, W8225 County Road JV, Poynette, WI 53955 (this is the preferred method – postmark date is accepted as the date of payment.  Return appropriate stub from tax bill). Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you would like a receipt.
  3. Online: the 1st installment or full payment may be made online at www.officialpayments.com.  The fee for this service is a flat fee of $3.00 for E-Check per payment transaction under $10,000.00 or by Credit/Debit card – the fee is 2.75% of the total amount, with a minimum fee of $3.95.

After January 31st and 2nd installment (due by July 31st) options:

  1. Mail:  Payable to – Columbia County Treas., P.O. Box 198, Portage, WI 53901.
  2. Online:  www.co.columbia.wi.us, then go to Tax Parcel Data Search and E-pay taxes.  See the website for fees.

Lottery Credit

If a Lottery Credit does not appear on your tax bill and you were a resident of the Town of Dekorra, please notify the Town of Dekorra Treasurer. A Late claim form can be obtained and the Lottery Credit will then be applied to your tax bill upon receipt of the signed form.

Every taxable parcel that has real property qualifies for the credit. (Mobile Homes or improvements on leased land do not qualify). The Credit is calculated by multiplying the lower of the Calculated Equalized Value or the Maximum Credit Value (determined by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue) times the Equalized Value School Tax Rate. The credit will be located above the Lottery Credit line of your tax bill if you are eligible for the credit. The County Treasurer will determine if you are eligible, so there is no need to apply for the credit.

Please call (608) 635-5584 with questions regarding Lottery Credit.  After talking to the Town Treasurer, if you qualify for credit and didn’t receive it you will need to complete the Wisconsin Lottery and Gaming Credit Application

Assessments

Property assessment is regulated by State Statutes through the State Department of Revenue. The Town is required to assess all taxable real and personal property within the limits of the Town of Dekorra at it full and true value (the fair market value that would be obtained at private sale). Agricultural property is treated differently and is assessed based on the land’s use rather than fair market value.

Residents may compare their property value with other property at the Open Book informational meeting with the assessor and may appeal an assessment at the Board of Review hearings.

The amount of property tax collected that goes to the Town is a relatively small percent of the total (about 10%). Much larger percentages go to the County and School District.

Property Valuation

The state of Wisconsin is a Market Value state. This means property values are required to mirror the fair market value of comparable properties to ensure property owners are paying their fair share of taxes.

The fair market value of all property is calculated by reviewing arm’s length sales between a willing seller and a willing buyer on the open market. Assessors consider information from many sources to determine your assessment.

Assessors review market sales up to January 1st, of the current year. Sales after the new year are not used to determine your new value. The property tax bill you received in December is not based on the new assessment value of your property.

Assessors don’t set tax rates. There are no additional taxes collected by the town during a revaluation. The revaluation does not change the amount of tax collected by the town, county, school district, or technical college.

To learn more about what assessors do, please watch the video: Assessor Video 2020

Assessor Information

The Assessor is selected by the Town Board through a formal proposal solicitation process. The Assessor assesses property values as of January 1st of the tax year.  Properties are physically inspected on an inspection cycle per the contract between the Town and Assessor. The Assessor is required to attend Open Book informational meetings and Board of Review hearings and prepare the Assessment Roll.

The Current Town of Dekorra Assessor:

Accurate Appraisal, LLC

1428 Midway Road
Menasha, WI 54952
Phone: (920) 749-8098
Email: [email protected]

CLICK HERE for more assessor information.

Assessor - Zach Schmidt

Open Book

The Town Assessor, upon completion of the review of assessments, and prior to completion of assessment rolls, will hold Open Book conferences. The purpose is to provide property owners and their agents the opportunity to review and compare assessed values. The assessor will send notice to each property owner whose assessment has changed at least 15 days prior to the first open book conference.

The Open Book is a conference, either face-to-face or over the phone, with an assessor to discuss the value of your property. You have until 48 hours before the Board of Review to contact the assessor about your new value.

2025 Open Book - TBD

 

Board of Review

The Board of Review functions like a court and is required to evaluate evidence based on facts. You or your representative must provide factual evidence that your property is inequitably assessed. The burden of proof is solely on the taxpayer. The assessor’s value is presumed correct by State Law until proven otherwise.