Financial Freedom

March 15, 2024

Rock County property taxes are in the top 3% of all (3143) US counties, and are even higher than in Dane County property taxes, based on percentage of property value! 

Financial freedom is less about financials and more about personal freedom. In Rock County, your property taxes are assessed by the county and Blackhawk Technical College, as well as your city/municipality and school district. It is your elected representatives who oversee these local governmental bodies and are resposible for setting their tax levies. This is what drives your individual property taxes. If you would like to speak to your local elected officials directly, you can find their contact information HERE.

So the point is, fair taxation has to take into account the citizen’s ability to pay the taxes, among other factors. Our local elected officials on county, municipal and school district boards are entrusted to maintain FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.

Collectively, these boards have led to this high taxation issue in Rock County. So as a citizen, your role is to elected officials who will be focused on FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, and have proven so through action.

 

According to 2024 Tax-Rates.org, Rock County property tax comparison to US:

● MEDIAN PROPERTY TAX: If Rock County median property taxes, as a percentage of median income, are 255th out of 3143 counties across the US, this puts Rock County property taxes in the TOP 8% in the US!

● PERCENTAGE OF INCOME: If Rock County property taxes, as a percentage of income, is 143 of 3143 counties across the US, this puts Rock County property taxes in the TOP 5% in the US!

● PERCENTAGE OF PROPERTY VALUE: If Rock County property taxes, as a percentage of property value, is 100th (1.96% of property’s assessed fair market value) out of 3143 counties across the US, this places Rock County property taxes in the TOP 3% in the US!

Rock County property tax vs Dane County:
● Rock County property taxes (1.96%) are even higher than Dane County
(1.8%) property taxes, based on a percentage of property value!

Do You Really Have Financial Freedom?

Other Articles From Our Blog

Rock County School Districts–What’s Going Up and What’s Going Down

Rock County School Districts–What’s Going Up and What’s Going Down

Educational freedom refers to the ability of parent’s to select the best educational opportunity for their children. It recognizes that all children are unique, full of potential, and deserving of a high-quality education that meets their individual needs.  For someone to be truly free, they must receive a high-quality education which allows them to maximize their full potential in life.   Recently RCF announced the top performing public school districts and schools in Rock County.    RCF recognizes and thanks teachers and students for their commitment to excellence, and to educational freedom! Financial freedom from a local perspective is largely driven and controlled by local taxation.  Most notably property taxes - School District, County and City - are a major annual expense for Rock County homeowners and indirectly, renters.  With school districts being the highest portion of one’s property taxes. Most people in Rock County know their property taxes are high, but few realize Rock County’s property taxes are higher than 96% of all counties in the US!  This is based on the percentage of personal income, or people’s ability to pay (Source).
Do Your Homework & Turn it in on Time!

Do Your Homework & Turn it in on Time!

What happened in the August primary election has me a bit perplexed. I’m not referring to the candidates who won their respective partisan races at this point. I’m wondering about the results of the two state referendum questions that effectively continue to allow the Governor to spend federal monies received by the state with virtually no state or local oversight.
Who Needs Your Money More, the County, or You?

Who Needs Your Money More, the County, or You?

Update on Ongoing 2025 County Budget Plans The Rock County Board of Supervisors (BoS) are currently in the 2025 budgeting process. There is more work and discussions to take place between now and the November vote on the budget. So far, it appears the BoS’s have taken your Financial Freedom to heart as they appear to be much more focused on reining in tax levy spending (which is responsible for a significant portion of your property taxes), and not dipping into other pools of taxpayer money (i.e. the general fund or sales taxes, as they have the last three years) to fund their significant spending.