Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is pushing for $1.3 billion in property tax relief as homeowners across the state grapple with increasing bills, but questions remain about how the plan will work and whether it can gain Republican support.The proposal comes as property owners face their January tax payments, with some Milwaukee residents reporting significant increases over recent years."It's a day that I don't really look forward to it because, in my opinion, taxes have continued to go up," said Henry Carter, a retired city worker making his January payment.Jon Reno, another Milwaukee property owner, said his tax bills have jumped $20,000 over the past dozen years.Watch: What we know about Governor Evers proposes $1.3 billion property tax relief plan What we know about Governor Evers proposes $1.3 billion property tax relief plan"I'm used to paying taxes, but it's just, you're not getting a good bang for the buck," Reno said.When asked if people will see significant savings, Evers said the plan should freeze property taxes at current levels."We should be able to freeze it at the level that it's at, said Evers. We're not talking about the bills that were just sent out, we're talking about next year at this time," Evers said.The governor explained where the money would go to offset the cost, with a preference for directing some funds to schools."It's going to have to be either money that goes into coffers of municipalities, counties, or school districts," Evers said.Many homeowners have seen the school funding portion of their bills increase due to approved school referenda. A record 241 ballot measures appeared in 2024, with 169 approved by voters to raise local school taxes, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum.Evers claims these referenda are driving property tax increases, while Republicans argue his partial veto that increased school funding for the next 400 years is to blame.The governor remains optimistic about reaching a deal with lawmakers in this election year. The money would come from the state's budget surplus."We have some, but we will be having many more, I hope. I believe that it's a smart thing to do," Evers said when asked about conversations with Republicans.This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less