The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-10-25
Governor Davidson Takes a Hand
in Saving the Money Of Tax
Payers Of the State
SCHOOL TAX IS CUT IN HALF
State Treasury Has Money Enough tc
Provide for Expenses and Leave
Surplus, and no State Tax
Will Be Collected

Gov. Davidson, Secretary of State
Houser and State Treasurer Kempf,
acting under authority conferred upon
them by the statutes of 1898, RENTED
| ST., 818, 345 of this years state taxes
Monday. In other words, they ordered
the sum of 81, 818, 1886 transferred from
the general fund of the state treasury
and applied as state tax levy to the
discharge of certain items for which
state levy is usually made. The
only state tax levied this year is $653,
$50, which is one-ha1f of the amount
of state aid to common schools.
Owing to the increased taxes from
railroads, the payment of back taxes
by railroads, the general increase of
receipts from insurance and other
corporations operating IN the state,
and the war refunds from the federal
government, all state taxes except
those for the aid of the common
schools have been RENTED for the
last three years.
This is the first time since the law
was passed providing for the common
school tax that any part of it has been
RENTED. The state officers probably
would have RENTED the entire state
tax if the legislature had not APP
propriated 5000, 600 to begin the work
of erecting the new capitol. The law
provides that the annual state aid to
common schools shall be equal to 7. 10
Of mill on the valuation of all tax
able property Of the state, and that
$500, 900 shall be taken from moneys
paid by the railroads for taxes. The
total state aid for common schools
this year will be 81, 49,, $3.50. OF this
amou It 500, 900 comes from the rail-
road taxes, S643, 680 from the general
fund as transferred Monday and S643, :
go from the tax to be levied.
On Oct. i last there was a balance
of So, 129, All. 40 in the general fund of
the state treasury, or S311 ,076. 40 more
than the total state taxes RENTED
Monday. 1t is estimated that total
receipts for the present calendar year
will be 50, $50, 700, and total disburse-
ments 81, 327, 200, leaving a balance of
receipts over disbursements of 1862,
500. The board also estimates that
the balance in the general fund on
Jan. l, 1907, will be 81, 554, All 40. One
half of the annual taxes Of the rail-
roads for 1907, or about $1, 100000 will
be due the middle of next January.
The state officers who RENTED the
taxes Monday adopted the following
resolution:
Whereas, it appears that on the
first day Of October, 1906, there was
in the general fund a balance Of ST.
12o,4f1.49; and
"Whereas it is estimated that there
will be balance in said general fund
on Jan. !, 1907, of $1,554, 4l14o; and
Whereas, it is estimated that the
receipts to said general fund during
1907 will be 81, 689, 700; and
"Whereas, it is estimated that the
disbursements for all purposes for
the year 1907 will be $4,527, 200; and
Whereas, the entire state tax to be
levied for the ensuing year for
interest on state Indebtedness, for
free high schools, for graded schools,
for state university, for normal
schools, and one-ha1f of tax for com
mon schools, amounts to the sum of
81, 818, 335: and
Whereas, such sum of 81, 818, 1886
can, without detriment to the public
service, be transferred from the
general fund and applied as state
| tax levy to discharge the items above
mentioned and thereby obviate the
necessity of levy of any state tax
for such purposes;
Now therefore, be it resolved, That
We the undersigned, governor, secre-
tary of state and state treasurer, in
pursuance of section 1069-a of the
Wisconsin statutes of 1898, do hereby
transfer from the general fund as
portion of the state tax the sum of ST.
818, 335, to be applied as follows:
Interest on state Indebtedness. ........ $157,570
Free high schools 100000
Graded schools. $4,000
University oOI,Uoo
Normal schools Observation-Disclosures. 100000
One-ha1f of tax for common schools. $4,000
Total. 81 ,818,335
ssAnd that no state tax be levied
for the above pur poses for the ensu-
ing year, and no state tax whatever
be levied for any other purposes ex-
cept one-half Of tax authorized by
section 1O72-a of the Wisconsin
statutes of 1898, as amended by sec
ton 20, chapter 351, laws of 1899, and
chapter 313, laws of 1903, the tax COM
monty known as the mill tax for the
aid of public schools, one-half of
which for the ensuing year amounts
to $643, go"