Posted: Dec. 22, 2009

It's not just Christmas cards that residents are receiving in the mail this time of year - 2009 property tax bills have arrived as well.

Payment, or the first installment, is due Jan. 31, and generally can be mailed or dropped off at village or city halls.

Here's a look at the property tax rates of area communities:

Franklin

Tax rates vary depending on the school district in which residents reside and also whether they receive city sewer service.

For residents in the Franklin School District with sewer service, the tax rate is $23.44 per $1,000 of assessed property value, a 2.2 percent increase. For residents without sewer service, the rate is $22.06, an increase of 3.4 percent.

For property in the Oak Creek-Franklin School District, the tax rate is $20.97 with sewer service and $19.59 without it. Residents living in the Whitnall School District, who all have sewer service, will see a $22.21 tax rate.

The treasurer's office in City Hall, 9229 W. Loomis Road, will be closed through Sunday because of the holiday. It will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday of next week and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Dec. 31.

Greendale

The village's total tax rate is $24.53 per $1,000 of assessed property value, an increase of 6.1 percent over last year's rate of $23.13.

The biggest jump in rate from the six taxing jurisdictions was the Greendale School District, which went up 6.6 percent to $11.93. The tax rate supported a property tax levy increase of 4.2 percent.

Milwaukee County's tax rate for Greendale property owners rose 6.1 percent.

Property and assessment records can be viewed on the village Web site, greendale.org. Residents are encouraged to mail their tax bills, to increase collection efficiency, to: Village of Greendale, Box 681077, Milwaukee, WI, 53268-1077.

Payments are also accepted from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 6500 Northway, or after hours in the drive-up deposit box in the back of the building.

Hales Corners

The total tax rate in Hales Corners is $22.19 per $1,000 of assessed property value. That represents an increase of 4.6 percent over last year.

The Whitnall School District's tax rate increase was the biggest, going from $8.96 to $9.49, a 5.9 percent jump. The Whitnall School District levy rose 5.5 percent.

Residents are encouraged to pay their taxes by mail due to the ongoing renovation project at Village Hall. Bills can be mailed to Village Hall, 5635 S. New Berlin Road, Hales Corners, WI 53130.

Oak Creek

The 2009 tax rate is $20.57 per $1,000 of assessed property value, up 1.9 percent from last year's $20.19.

The city maintained the same tax rate as last year, $5.79. The Oak Creek portion of the Oak Creek-Franklin School District's tax rate went up to $8.59 from $8.22.

Residents can look up tax payment history through the city's Web site, oakcreekwi.org. Bills can be mailed to: Treasurer, City of Oak Creek, 8640 S. Howell Ave., P.O. Box 27, Oak Creek, WI, 53154-0027.

There is a drive-up, 24-hour depository at City Hall on the east side of the south parking lot. Residents can also use Oak Creek Tri-City Banks to pay tax bills through Jan. 31.

Comparing property tax rates

Community	2009 tax rate (per $1,000 of assessed value)	2008 tax rate (per $1,000 of assessed value)	Percent change
Hales Corners	$22.19	$21.22	+4.6
Greendale	$24.53	$23.13	+6.1
Franklin* (Franklin School District)	$23.44	$22.69	+3.3
Franklin (Whitnall School district)	$22.21	$21.39	+3.8
Franklin* (Oak Creek-Franklin School District)	$20.97	$19.54	+7.3
Oak Creek	$20.57	$20.19	+1.9

*with sewer service; Source: Local municipalities