The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-10-12
MUST PAY MORE TAX
MiIwsrkee's "SO-CaIIed Tax Commits
sion" Makes Great Hit With
the State Board.
KENosHA VALUES BOOSTED.

The state Board Of Equalization Reduces
Milwaukee Valuations to the Amount OF
S23,150, 633, and Raises other Cities TO
Meet the Deficiency .-Kenosha and Rs-
cine Pay Dearly for Fight Against the
Commission
The State Board of Equalization,
which has been at work for the past
two months, fixing the state taxes for
the coming year, has at last completed
it's 1abors, and this morning the result
is announced from Madison.
The report will be read with great
interest by the people of this city, and
it cannot but fix upon the minds of the
citizens that the city of Milwaukee has
a great pull with the State Board of
Equalization, as we'll as with the other
branches of the state government. The
action of the board makes the total
assessed value of the property in Wis
consin $625, 100000, an increase OF
$25, 900, 900 over the valuation of last
year. But Notwithstanding this large
increase the taxes of the city of Mil
waukee will be only a little larger than
it was last year, while the smaller
cities in the state will all be boosted to
meet a reduction of 1913, $50, CAB in the
value of Milwaukee property as listed
by the assessors.
The "so-ca11ed Tax Commission" of
Milwaukee, evidently did their work
we'll, as they have succeeded in fore
ing upon Racine and Kenosha counties
a large proportion of the increase in
the valuation.
The increase of the valuation of the
Kenosha property is $192,787. The as
sessed value, as given by the assessor
of the county, was So, 597, $40, but after
the Commission had made a badly
mixed report to the State Board this
assessment was raised to the sum of
Sc, 100, 1877. In Racine the work OF the
Commission was even of greater
weight and the increase in the va1ua-
ton was proportionate1y larger. The
Racine valuation, as given by the as
SCISSOR, was $17, 500, 286, but the State
Board boosted these figures to total
of S17, 1913, $50.
The action of the State Board has
been generally commented on about
the streets this morning, and every
one in the city interested in the matter
characterized it as peculiar. The
blow fell especially heavy on Racine
and Kenosha counties. Why, it is not
possible to say, unless it was the fact
that the people of the two cities took a
leading part in the fight against the
alleged Tax Commission of Milwaukee.
AS compared with the assessment OF
last year the new schedule, as fixed by
| the state board, shows an increase OF
$275, 232. SO. The assessment of last
year having been based on valuation
of &, SIS, O94.5O.
Where the increase in the valuation
is to be found is exceedingly hard to
be seen in this city. No new factories
have been erected and none of them
have made any extensive increase to
their personal property. There is now
no further contest to be made. The
people must simply grin and bear 1t
with the full knowledge that they have
been loyal in their assistance to the
so-ca11ed commission in perpetrating
another tax grab on the state of Wis
consin at the expense of the other
cities in the state.
The report makes no mention of the
manner in which the additions to the
valuation of Kenosha property have
been made, but it is supposed that the
increase will fall upon the industrial
plants in the city.