76.13 Levy; tax roll; lien.

(1) The department shall compute and levy a tax upon the property of each company defined in s. 76.02, as assessed in the manner specified in ss. 76.07 and 76.08, at the average net rate of taxation determined under s. 76.126. The amount of tax to be paid by each such company shall be extended upon a tax roll opposite the description of the property of the respective companies. The tax rolls for all companies required to be assessed on or before August 1 in each year under s. 76.07 (1) shall be completed on or before August 10, and for all companies required to be assessed on or before September 15 in each year under s. 76.07 (1) shall be completed on or before October 1; and the department shall thereupon attach to each such roll a certificate signed by the secretary of revenue, which shall be as follows:

“I hereby certify that the foregoing tax roll includes the property of all railroad companies, air carrier companies, conservation and regulation companies or pipeline companies, as the case may be, defined in s. 76.02, liable to taxation in this state; that the valuation of the property of each company as set down in said tax roll is the full market value thereof as assessed by the department of revenue, except as changed by court judgment, and that the taxes thereon charged in said tax roll have been assessed and levied at the average net rate of taxation in this state, as required by law".

(2) Every tax roll upon completion shall be delivered to the secretary of administration. The department shall notify, by certified mail, all companies listed on the tax roll of the amount of tax due, which shall be paid to the department. The payment dates provided for in sub. (2a) shall apply. The payment of one-fourth of the tax of any company may, if the company has brought an action in the Dane County circuit court under s. 76.08, be made without delinquent interest as provided in s. 76.14 any time prior to the date upon which the appeal becomes final, but any part of the tax ultimately required to be paid shall bear interest from the original due date to the date the appeal became final at the rate of 12 percent per year and at 1.5 percent per month thereafter until paid. The taxes extended against any company after the same become due, with interest, shall be a lien upon all the property of the company prior to all other liens, claims, and demands whatsoever, except as provided in ss. 292.31 (8) (i) and 292.81, which lien may be enforced in an action in the name of the state in any court of competent jurisdiction against the property of the company within the state as an entirety.

(2a) Taxes levied under this section shall be paid to the department in semiannual installments, on May 10 and November 10, on a partially estimated basis. The May 10 payment shall be at least 50 percent of the total tax assessed for the previous calendar year or 40 percent of the tax assessed for the current calendar year. Any amounts not paid when due shall become delinquent and shall be subject to interest under s. 76.14. The payment of 25 percent of the tax of any company may, if the company has brought an action in the Dane County circuit court under s. 76.08, be made without delinquent interest as provided in s. 76.14 any time prior to the date upon which the appeal becomes final, but any part thereof ultimately required to be paid shall bear interest from the original due date to the date the appeal becomes final at the rate of 12 percent per year and at 1.5 percent per month thereafter until paid. Companies with a tax liability under this section of less than $2,000 are not required to make semiannual payments but shall pay the full amount of taxes due on or before November 10.

(3) If the Dane County circuit court, after such roll is delivered to the secretary of administration, increases or decreases the assessment of any company, the department shall immediately redetermine the tax of the company on the basis of the revised assessment, and shall certify and deliver the revised assessment to the secretary of administration as a revision of the tax roll. If the amount of tax upon the assessment as determined by the court is less than the amount paid by the company, the secretary of administration shall refund the excess to the company with interest at the rate of 9 percent per year. If the amount of the tax upon the assessment as determined by the court is in excess of the amount of the tax as determined by the department, interest shall be paid on the additional amount at the rate of 12 percent per year from the date of entry of judgment to the date the judgment becomes final, and at 1.5 percent per month thereafter until paid.

History: 1971 c. 23, 125, 215; 1975 c. 39, 224; 1977 c. 29, 418; 1979 c. 110 ss. 60 (11), (13); 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 27; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 336; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 453; 1995 a. 227, 351; 1997 a. 27; 2003 a. 33; 2015 a. 216.