MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s total local tax levy posted its largest increase in nearly two decades, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum. In Dane County, the combined gross levy for local governments increased 9.9% on December property-tax bills. The county’s increase was the largest recorded since 1992, the forum said. The figures are likely to become part of the political debate over local-government funding and property taxes during the next legislative session. Mark Sommerhauser of the Wisconsin Policy Forum said lawmakers may face pressure to revisit how municipalities and other local governments pay for services. “It probably tees up a discussion that’s going to have to be had,” Sommerhauser said. He predicted a “pretty fierce debate” in 2027 involving a newly elected governor and potentially new lawmakers over local-government funding and property taxes. The higher levies affect the amount local governments collect through property taxes, though the impact on individual tax bills can vary depending on changes in property values and the taxing decisions of individual municipalities and other local entities. The increase comes as state and local officials continue to weigh competing demands for public services, infrastructure and other community needs against the financial pressure property taxes place on homeowners and renters. The debate is expected to continue into the 2027 election cycle.