February 10, 2012

Changes coming to Powerball

As Powerball celebrates its 20th anniversary, state lottery officials are preparing to roll out some changes to the popular game.

Andrew Bohage with the Wisconsin Lottery says efforts are underway to freshen up Powerball. Those will include increasing the minimum jackpot to $40 million and improving the odds of winning for players.

In order to do that though, Bohage says a price increase for tickets will be needed. Starting January 15th, single ticket prices will double to $2.

Bohage says more money coming into the game means better benefits for taxpayers. Proceeds from Powerball sales go toward property tax relief.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (:58)

Johnson says tax cut likely to pass

A U.S. Senator from Wisconsin is confident that Congress will extend a payroll tax cut before lawmakers leave for the holiday recess.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) says the measure is likely to pass, even though he does not support how it’s being handled.

The Oshkosh Republican says Social Security is already underfunded and extending the tax cut will not help. Although, Johnson says he’s “also not in favor of increasing taxes.”

Continuing the cut means the government will continue to pay out more in benefits that it is currently collecting, which Johnson says is not going to change until the system is reformed.

AUDIO: Sen. Ron Johnson (:18)

The Oshkosh Republican says the road to compromise will not be pretty. He remains certain though that there will be a consensus. Johnson says Congress does not want to increase taxes on Americans right now.

Rick Schuh, WHBY

IRS seeks missing taxpayers

The IRS has owes money to several hundred Wisconsin taxpayers. The agency has over $914,000 that belongs to 854 taxpayers from the Badger State.

IRS spokesman Christopher Miller says most of the money is from refund checks the agency has been unable to deliver, usually because the mailing address was wrong. If that happens, Miller says the checks come back as undeliverable.

Miller says taxpayers who never received those checks can get them by going online to the IRS website and clicking on the “where’s my refund” link or by calling 1-800-829-1954. Taxpayers should have a copy of their taxes handy because you will need to know the amount of your anticipated refund.

Miller says taxpayers can avoid having their refund checks delayed in the future by filing their taxes electronically and selecting direct deposit.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:14)

Higher tipping fees hurting landfill

When state lawmakers voted to increase tipping fees at Wisconsin landfills in 2009, the goal was to reduce the amount of trash from neighboring states that was being dumped in Wisconsin. The higher fees are causing problems though for operators of the Pheasant Run Landfill in Kenosha County.

Officials with the landfill, located near the Town of Paris, says there has been a 76-percent drop in the amount of solid waste coming into the landfill from Illinois. As a result, revenues have dropped sharply and now Waste Management, the operator, is hoping to work out new tax deals with local officials.

Waste Management recently asked to renegotiate an agreement with Kenosha County for payments that are largely used to defer property taxes for area residents. Waste Management pay 68-cents per ton dumped in the landfill, along with a $250,000 gift to the county. The County has approved a new deal that keeps the 68-cent fee, but drops the gift to $75,000 and makes other concessions.

County Supervisor Joe Clark says, without that help, Waste Management may not be able to stay in business.

AUDIO: Supervisor Joe Clark (:09)

The company is still seeking a new agreement with officials in Paris, where it pays substantially higher fees to offset local property taxes.

Janet Hoff, WRJN

DOR hopes to cut printing costs

The state Department of Revenue is hoping to cut back on the number of income tax forms it plans to print this year.

About 80-percent of Wisconsinites filed their state income tax returns electronically last year. State Department of Revenue spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis says the growing popularity of e-file means the agency can save some money this year by printing fewer paper forms.

Starting next year, the department will no longer automatically mail out forms to taxpayers, even if they filed a paper return last time. Marquis says individuals who still would like a hard copy of the forms will need to contact the Department or go to a local library. However, the agency will also be reducing the number of forms sent to local libraries by 25-percent as well.

Homestead tax credit forms for those over 60 will still be mailed out, if they filed on paper last year.

Marquis says the changes should save the state over $106,000 annually.

Residents who still want paper forms can request them after January first.

AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:07)