The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1907-01-12
Total for state. e.. .a.OlO,72l s,6l22ol.6 Ga

In 1906, for the first time in the history
OF the state, there We're RENTED not only
all taxes for the maintenance of the state
but also one-half of the mill tax for pub
lie schools, and the amount needed 1oI
these purposes was ordered transferred
from the general fund. We're IL
not for The fact that the disastrous
ire of February, 1904, which partially
destroyed the capitol necessltatlhS the
erection of a new building, the entlfe
one mill tax might have been RENTED
and the school support rendered from
the general fund, but it was deemed
advisable to retain n sufficient amount
i'll the treasury to permit of the cree
ton of new state capitol without the
necessity of resortins to state tax
for that purpose
Local assessors increased their val
uations of personal property by 100
per cent. over the former assessment
in 1900. by 1913 per cent in i90l' ana by
1919 per cent; in 1902. rms cores ;,
pended somewhat with the increase IN
the assessment of real estate TOR the
same years. In 1903, however, the pas
sage of the mortgage exemption law
resulted in the lowering OF the local
assessments of personal property that
year by 16 per cent. from the, point
reached in the previous year, ana since
that time such assessments have not
been improved perceptbly. in 1909,
with no change in the law, there was
further decrease, while 1903 showed an
increase of but lS3 per cent Inc IN,
crease of the valuation of personal
property found by the tax commission
in 1906 exceeded that of 1908 by 2.2o
per cent. while comparison OF the
local valuation for the same period
shows reduction of l462 per cent.
The efforts of the commission TO secure
compliance with the law have had no
effect and the state and local assess
ments of personal property are fur
ther apart in 1906 than at any former
time
The governor calls attention to the
law of 1903 relative to the taxation
of mortgages. and says that q com
mon clause found in practically all
mortgages has resulted IN the apSo-
lutte exemption of mortgages from t1A
alton and places the burden OF taxa
ton upon the poor man rather thah
upon the holder of the mortgage ana
he SAYS: Il therefore recommend thai nay
chapter S7S, laws of 1903, be repealed
and the law be restored as 1t was pc
fore the enactment of SAID chapter
In restoring the former law the palanrS
of credits above indebtedness WhlCh
shouId be assessable and taxable should
include moneys as well as credits.
Income Tax and inheritance Tax
81 wish TO urge upon the legislature
tbn inheritance of the constitutional
amendment providing for an income
tax Such a tax is unsurpasSeu as a
ieyeller of the public burden IL most
nearly satisfies, with proper enforce
n,eut the conception of an ideal tax
IRE income tax should aim to reach
such property as 9tn ,, =, th 80 Mn
liz funds from those who are pest aDIe
to pay them. Older countries nav
generally sought relief in an lnCoi.o
tav after unsuccessful attempts ~
adminfstrr the personal property ltN.
Anv further recommendatl on thlS
.,Eiart may be considered premature
untiI such time as the proposed 1"i
stitutioual amendment ShaIt nave "N-
thorized such legislation, i
THE inheritance tax law. ~ P4N.'''