The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-02-20
JUDGE gibson
TO SUPERVISORS.
Wise Words on the Great Cues.
ton of Taxation.
BELIEVES IN ENTIRE EQUALITY.
A Warning Against 0yerburdening
Taxpayers.
THE DUTIES OF THE SUPERVISORS
He Says the Commission Expects to Inst
tute Investigations Into Pub
lie Expenditures

Judge n. S. ellison, who would make
an ideal Democratic gubernatorial can
didate on a platform of Tax Reform, p
opening the supervisors convention i'll
Madison on Tuesday said:
with your assistance in the new field
you are about to enter it ought to be
settled beyond question that one town
shall not be permitted to cheat another
town by neglect or the intentional viola
tion of the law by its officers in the as
sessment or the review of property for
taxation.
In many OF the cities of the state un-
der the mode of assessment prevailing
for many years the debt limit has been
reached, or nearly so, and the further
increases of assessment up to full value
is viewed with alarm i'll many quarters
as opening the way to create greater in
debtedness The fear is not of the as
sessment at true value, for that in itself
does not mean more revenue or higher
taxes, but as the debt limit is hereby in
creased common councils will seize the
opportunity to correspondingly increase
the debts in their respective cities. How
imminent the danger may be is best
known to the people to municipalities. l
refer to the subject to show you that the
apprehension of growing and uncalled
for expenditures and municipal indebt-
edness is an obstacle that you will meet
in endeavoring to secure assessment ac.
cording TO legal standard, and that you
should clearly understand that situation
and be in position to present the sub
ject so that others with whom You come
in official contact will have knowledge
of it also. do not think that | unduly
magnify the question in saying that the
manner of expending public money, the
faulty system of accounting for these
expenditures, the want of knowledge on
the part of the taxpayer of the precise
objects to which his contribution is ap-
piled and the fear that the higher his
property is valued the more money will
be demanded for public use, are among
the serious difficulties that you will en-
counter in trying TO reform assessments.
You cannot be charged with respon
sibility for high taxes, extragavanc e,
waste or revenues, for all this is outsid e
of and beyond your province, You
should be informed on the subject so as
TO place the responsibility where it be-
longs and educate the people to scruti
nize the acts of officials charged with
the duty of fixing the amount Of taxes
annually levied.
''The remedy for the threatened mis-
chief is in the hands of the voters and
they should be aroused to the necessity
OF using their power to resist the dan
ger until safeguard by constitutional
amendment or specific laws be provided.
The legislature if deemed expedient and
wise, can submit constitutional amend
ment for lower per cent in limiting the
power to create Indebtedness or by laws
prescribe limitations TO be imposed on
the various cities as circumstances re-
quire.
The commission expects to institute |
Investigations into public expenditures
and municipal Indebtedness as one
branch of taxation. The statistics are
to be looked for mainly in the offices of
town, city and village clerks aud can
usually be furnished by these officers
In the responsible duties entrusted TO
you much is expected TO result in the
more uniform and equitable distribution
OF the burdens of government, state,
county and local. We are confident the |
expectations will not be disappointed.
You are counseled to undertake the
work with an earnest and sincere pur-
pose to accomplish the end expected
from this legislation.
Your advent may not be hailed with
unmixed delight by the timid or shirk-
ing local officers, or the selfish, secretive
and evasive owner of taxable property,
yet an honest intelligent and courageous
discharge of the important duties i'm
posed upon you will in time, win you
the approval of the substantial and mp
right citizens who love justice and hate
iniquity in taxation as well as in the
other affairs Of life"
IN rri