City of Oshkosh provides public services not just for our residents and businesses, but also for large, state-owned properties like the roughly 170 acres at UW Oshkosh and 300 acres at the state prison — properties that don’t pay any property taxes. With state-owned properties valued at more than $900 million, Oshkosh is the third largest holder of state-owned property in Wisconsin, behind only Madison and Milwaukee.
The state is supposed to reimburse cities like ours through the Municipal Services Payment program created in 1973. Public services under MSP generally include police, fire protection and road maintenance — essential services funded through property taxes.
Unfortunately, the MSP program hasn’t been fully funded since 2011. That shortfall means Oshkosh homeowners and businesses are left covering the gap. In 2026 alone, our residents will be subsidizing the state by just shy of $2 million. When the state doesn’t fully fund its obligations, it’s effectively asking Oshkosh taxpayers to pay its bills instead. Our local taxes are higher than they should be because Oshkosh is obligated to provide essential services to state properties while the state refuses to pay anywhere near its fair share…