The Ellison Bay Manor or Sur la Baie mansion received a 33% property tax increase.
2022 taxes were $28,391.13, and 2023 taxes are $37,808.43: https://landnav.co.door.wi.us/GCSWebPortal/Search.aspx?ParcelNumber=018660530A
The tax history can be found by selecting the “Taxes” tab near the top.
This is a recent article about the mansion: https://97zokonline.com/just-how-big-is-the-biggest-house-in-wisconsin-take-a-look-inside/
Multiplied by 79 years of life, the 2023 tax figure comes out to $2.99 million in lifetime property taxes. This is a lot, but it is still less than the Value of a Statistical Life for a child, which is $23.2 million: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/03/24/2023-06081/notice-of-availability-proposed-draft-guidance-for-estimating-value-per-statistical-life
The amount paid in taxes by mansion-owners is well above-average, but a property serving as a trophy or for recreational purposes has a lower associated economic value than a single low-income housing unit, should the family within raise one or more children.
Yet this particular mansion is interesting to look at, and serves to attract tourists who like to look at nice houses. The article is by an Illinois radio station, and it could help influence people to take a drive north. As tourists spend money at businesses, that should in theory provide jobs which support families. Also, the expenses associated with property upkeep ends up supporting jobs.
Besides taxes associated with its sale, when it was put up for auction, one requirement was that the buyer donate 4% of the property’s value to charity: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2477036/Ellison-Bay-Manor-43-room-mansion-Wisconsin-sale-8-75m.html
It is more difficult and expensive for government authorities and other people who run things to foster a diverse economy, than it is to facilitate the desires of the current real estate market. Luxury housing provides the immediate gratification of helping the construction sector and by attracting people with money, but in the long run it undermines the previously self-perpetuating community.
Meanwhile, affordable housing is expensive for local governments. A younger population is necessarily more expensive for a local government than an older one, since youth correlates with crime, and children require education. But in the long run local officials and their supporting voters get what they pay for.
But how to advocate for this? It would be better if citing the common good was enough, but there are also some related things which are already considered important.
People don’t brag about luxury demographic statistics. Yet new or expanding businesses and school sports prowess can be associated with healthy demographics, and both tend to be cited for status purposes.
Business investment decisions are made in part off of the demographic situation. The Esri corporation meticulously tracks everything in order to produce highly detailed reports for business owners trying to make decisions. Healthy demographics shape such reports, attracting and encouraging businesses.
Growing school enrollments also ought to help with fielding more competitive teams. Enrollment is by no means the only factor, since Gibraltar’s boys basketball team went to state in 2022 despite enrollment which was relatively low.
Articles about architecture and historic buildings:
https://doorcounty.substack.com/t/architecture-and-historic-buildings