SB 624

Under current law, a municipality (a city, village, or town) is authorized to

impose a special charge against real property for current services rendered by

allocating all or part of the cost of the service to the property served. A "service"

under current law includes snow and ice removal, weed elimination, sidewalks or

curb and gutter repair, garbage and refuse disposal, recycling, storm water

management, tree care, and other similar services that are not specified in the

definition. Generally, special charges are not payable in installments. If a special

charge is not paid within the time specified by the municipality, the special charge

is delinquent and becomes a lien on the property against which it is imposed.

Also under current law, as created by

2009 Wisconsin Act 11

, a political

subdivision (a municipality or county) may make a loan to a resident of the political

subdivision for making or installing an energy efficiency improvement or a

renewable resource application to the resident's residential property. Current law

also authorizes the political subdivision to collect the loan repayment as a special

charge. A special charge that is imposed for such a loan repayment may be collected

in installments and may be included as a charge on the resident's property tax bill

even if the special charge is not delinquent.

This bill expands the entities to which a political subdivision may make energy

efficiency loans to include commercial and industrial premises located in the political

subdivision, and also authorizes a political subdivision to make similar loans for

water efficiency improvements. Loan repayments for water efficiency improvements

may also be collected as a special charge, paid in installments, and be included on

the loan recipient's property tax bill just as such loan repayments may be collected

for energy efficiency improvements.

The bill also authorizes a political subdivision to enter into a loan repayment

agreement with the owner or lessee of premises located in the political subdivision

under which the owner or lessee obtains a loan from a private lender for energy or

water efficiency improvements, or a renewable resources application, to the

premises. Under the bill, the political subdivision could then act as a conduit by

collecting the loan repayment as a special charge and forwarding the amount

collected to the lender.