Town Hall · Cato

Cato, WI town hall & government

Cato spent $726,000 in the year to December 31, 2022, about $471 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Cato's government.

Town budget

Where Cato's money goes

Spent
$726,000
fiscal year to December 31, 2022
Per resident
$471
typical Wisconsin towns: $433
Long-term debt
$94,000
$61 per resident
Roads & transportation
$423,00058%
Fire
$120,00017%
Administration & buildings
$96,00013%
Health & welfare
$37,0005%
Sewer & trash
$27,0004%
Interest on debt
$4,0001%
Police
$1,000<1%
Other
$18,0002%

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 60%
  • From the state 33%
  • From the federal government 4%
  • Fees & charges 2%
  • Interest, fines & other 1%
  • Other taxes & licenses <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Cato

Full-time staff
1
4 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$69,600
a year, before benefits
Roads & transportation
1 full-time1 part
Administration & buildings
0 full-time2 part
Police
0 full-time1 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2022. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Valders Area School District

Cato's K–12 school district, shared with St. Nazianz, Valders, Whitelaw, Liberty, Eaton and Manitowoc Rapids. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$14,212
Wisconsin: $16,459
Students
955
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$12.4 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Wisconsin districts overall: 39% local, 50% state, 11% federal

  • Local 47%
  • State 49%
  • Federal 4%

Of the $14,212 per pupil, $8,319 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Also serving Cato: Reedsville School District ($15,342 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Cato pay

Typical tax bill
$3,524
a year · Wisconsin typical $3,792
Effective rate
1.30%
of home value · Wisconsin 1.42%
Typical home value
$272,100
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the survey estimate has a wide margin.

Local

Contact Cato's government

🏛️ Official websitetownofcato.com ↗

Town hall & decisions in Cato →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Cato

Cato is represented in Congress by Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin and Representative Glenn Grothman. Tony Evers is governor.

All of Cato's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

The coffee’s on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Cato, WIManitowoc CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01