In just one short sentence, Senate Democrats in their budget moved to increase property taxes beyond the rate of inflation, and possibly by double-digit percentages.
The Senate Democrat budget package includes a provision to do the following:
•Restore governor’s recommendations to repeal the QEO.
Eliminating the QEO (qualified economic offer) would tear the lid off of property taxes in Wisconsin that are already too high. Repealing the QEO would only send property taxes higher.
A quick history lesson is in order. The QEO was inspired by and created after a taxpayer’s revolt in the early 1990’s. Homeowners across the state had lost all patience with year after year of huge increases in property taxes and demanded the state Legislature provide relief. Relief came in the form of the QEO.
A budget provision to scrap the QEO is merely a political favor to a special interest group and has no regard for taxpayers who pay the bills. I do not believe taxpayers wish to return to the days prior to the QEO’s inception.
According to data from the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) that used figures from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the average total teacher salary and benefit package increase in the years before the QEO was 8 percent during 1984-85, 8.4 percent during 1985-86, 7.7 percent during 1986-87, 7.4 percent during 1987-88, 7.1 percent during 1988-89, 7.3 percent during 1989-90, 7.4 percent during 1990-91 and 6.9 percent during both 1991-92 and 1992-93.
Under the QEO, the compensation package for teachers including salaries and benefits is to be limited to a 3.8 percent increase. In fact, many school districts do not stay within the parameters of the QEO. The WASB reports that the average total package of salaries and benefits was 4.29 percent during 2006-07, 4.25 percent during 2005-06, and 4.31 percent during 2004-05.
Wisconsin must keep the QEO intact to prevent massive property tax increases.
Fearing this development, I wrote about this subject in January.
Here is my column on the QEO. 
