A new report authored by Peter Herried from the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) Division of Intergovernmental Relations provides a nice 2012 snapshot of the Wisconsin Land Information Program (WLIP), and serves as an excellent primer for anyone unfamiliar with the history and workings of the program.
Some interesting facts from the report:
- Counties retained $9.1 million statewide in Fiscal Year 2012 (July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012) for land information activities. Another $718,713 was granted out to 33 counties through need-based “base budget” grants during the same period.
- Since 1990, Wisconsin’s 72 counties retained a total of $124 million through the WLIP, and received another $32 million in grants. The WLIP also provided $19 million for the “provision of land information on the Internet” (interactive Web mapping sites), for a grand total of $175 million.
- Since FY 2007, a total of $5.79 million has been “lapsed” (transferred) from the WLIP into the state’s general fund to help balance the state budget.
- The average statewide maintenance cost for parcel data, based on a 2012 survey conducted by DOA, is $1.43 per parcel per year.
- Counties estimate it would cost another $18 million to fully complete digital parcel mapping across the state.
The WLIP is a voluntary program administered by DOA for the modernization of land records throughout the state. All of Wisconsin’s 72 counties participate. The WLIP is funded by deed recording fees collected by county register of deeds offices.