Gov. Walker: Wisconsin’s overall tax burden below the national average

Contact: Tom Evenson, (608) 266-2839

State achieves best tax ranking in more than 50 years

MADISON – Wisconsin’s overall tax burden, as a percentage of personal income, is now below the national average, and our ranking among the 50 states is the best in more than 50 years, according to data recently released from the United States Census Bureau reporting on state tax burdens for 2015. The report shows Wisconsin is steadily improving in the ranks of state tax burdens under Governor Scott Walker’s leadership.
“Thanks to our property and income tax cuts, we’ve made incredible progress in lowering the overall burden for hardworking taxpayers across our state,” said Governor Walker. “In 2010, Wisconsin was one of the ten worst states in the nation for taxation. Through our common-sense reforms, we brought Wisconsin out of the bottom 20, and we’re putting more money back in the hands of hardworking taxpayers. We proved you can reduce the overall tax burden and invest in your priorities at the same time. We are working and winning for Wisconsin.”

In 2010, Wisconsin was ranked as having the 9th highest state and local tax burden in the nation. According to the latest federal data, Wisconsin ranked 22nd among the states in 2015, its best ranking in more than 50 years. Wisconsin’s rate of improvement since 2010-11 was the third fastest in the nation.

The Census Bureau reports on tax data with a two-year delay because of the time it takes to compile and compare tax data from all 50 states, so the impacts of policy changes on the tax burden take time to become apparent. As a result, the impacts of the tax reforms adopted in the 2017-19 state budget will appear in Census reports beginning in 2019.