WKBT La Crosse, WI-NewsChannel 8-Proposed Bill Could Affect Property Taxes at La Crosse Community Theater

Proposed Bill Could Affect Property Taxes at La Crosse Community Theater

The Wisconsin State Assembly will consider a bill this week that would exempt the La Crosse Community Theater from paying property taxes.

The bill is written by La Crosse Representative Jennifer Shilling.

It would spare non-profit performing arts theaters within 20 miles of the Mississippi River from property taxes.

The La Crosse Community Theater is the only theater to fit that criteria.

A fiscal estimate says the bill would save the theater about $6,000 a year in property taxes, however an agreement would still have them paying something.

For a number of years the La Crosse Community Theatre has considered moving from their current location which is inadequate for live performances to a location along the Mississippi River that has high property taxes.

"If the theatre were to build a new theatre anywhere, we simply could not afford the property taxes that would go along with a new theatre building. We would be looking at property taxes annually anywhere from $125,000 up to $200,000," said Jackie Jensen-Utz, executive director of the La Crosse Community Theatre.

To help a bill is being proposed.  "We've worked with the city, we've worked with the community theatre in a payment in lieu of taxes, so it is a good will gesture that community theatre is responsible for paying for some of the services that they would utilize," said Rep. Jennifer Shilling.

The amount of tax money the theatre would end up paying the city through the agreement would be a fraction of what their new riverfront taxes would be. Still, it's more than what they pay now.

But, the theatre says for the new location it'd be worth it.

"We have eight productions throughout a season and each production has 11 or 12 shows, so 12 times through every production we're bringing people downtown," said Jensen-Utz

The Assembly is expected to take up the bill Tuesday.