Under GOP plan with an uncertain future, Wisconsin farmers would get up to $7,500 in tax relief

MADISON - Assembly Republicans said Monday they planned to give farmers up to $7,500 apiece in property tax breaks and reduce income taxes for some of them.

But they acknowledged they did not know how much their fast-moving plans would cost or whether Senate Republicans could be persuaded to get on board with them.

Any effort to help farmers would have to be approved by both houses and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. Evers was waiting to review details on the latest proposals, a spokeswoman said, but last week he expressed doubts about whether any tax relief would get to farmers fast enough.

In his State of the State speech last month, Evers announced he was calling a special legislative session to take up his $8.5 million plan to boost agriculture exports and otherwise help farmers.

Assembly Republicans said Monday they planned to tweak parts of Evers' agenda and add to it with their proposed tax cuts.

"Our farms are feeling pain and they need help right now," GOP Rep. Travis Tranel said.

SPECIAL REPORT: Dairyland in Distress

Tranel, a farmer from Cuba City, is a lead sponsor of legislation that would allow farmers to claim a credit for up to 66% of property taxes paid on agriculture buildings. To qualify, the farm would have to have at least $35,000 in annual income.

The credit would be capped at $7,500 per year per farming entity and would be in effect for three years, with the first payments going out this year, he said.

Tranel and other Republicans said they did not know how much the plan would cost but expected an estimate soon.

Under a separate plan by GOP Rep. Amy Loudenbeck of Clinton, the state would change how it taxes health care for those who are self-employed. That would help some farmers, as well as some owners of other types of businesses.

That plan is expected to provide about $9 million a year in income tax relief, but Loudenbeck said she did not know how much of it would go to farmers and how much of it would go to other types of business owners.

Republicans in the state Senate plan to discuss the Assembly ideas on Tuesday, said Alec Zimmerman, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau. Fitzgerald in recent weeks has said he's open to looking at a wide range of ways to help farmers.

Evers has offered a separate plan to put $252 million toward schools and property tax relief, but Republicans have rejected that idea. Both sides are rushing to get their proposals approved before the Legislature wraps up its session for the year next month.

Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickdmarley.