County charged for tax payment mistake

Trempealeau County’s Executive/Finance Committee voted 3-1 to approve payment to the Independence School District for interest related to the tax settlement payments issued in August. 

While committee members objected to the payment, Corporation Counsel Susan Fisher said that the county was required by law to pay the roughly $5,200 billed by the school. The school was the only governing body to assess the penalty on the county. 

“That makes me awfully nervous,” Supervisor Richard Sacia said. “There are a whole bunch more who could do the same thing.”

Supervisor Bridgette Turner expressed a similar sentiment.

“I am greatly concerned that we would potentially have other bills coming and I’m not quite sure where this ends,” Turner said. “I hope it ends here today… I just don’t feel our taxpayers are anticipating this and we certainly could use this money for something else in the county. But, unfortunately, we’re here today and this is what we’re presented with.” 

Supervisor John Aasen was the only person to vote against the motion to approve the payment, saying doing so would set a precedent. Sacia abstained from a vote, saying he wanted more information.

However, Fisher told committee members the county didn’t have any other options. While the school district is limited by state statute in what it could request, the county is required to make the payment. County Treasurer Michelle Rose said the payment would come from funds already budgeted in her account.

The motion to approve the payment was based on an agreement that the school would not request any more payments in the future. 

The county board heard in September that previous payments made to municipalities and school districts had been miscalculated by about $3 million. Rose took responsibility for the mistake, though the county has not yet released the results of its investigation.