The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-04-29
State Treasurer Declares There
Will Be Big Shortage Of Funds
at the End of Fiscal Year
EXPENSES. ARE INCREASING
Demands to be Made for the State Will
Demand a Big Increase in the
Taxes on Property Locally
Assessed

There is a possibility of 100000
state tax this year, or an additional
burden upon the tax payers of the
state Of $3.50 for every $1,000 OF
property locally assessed. There is al
so further possibility that the funds
of the state may be exhausted before
the tax paying period and Institutional
employees and contracts may be held up,
if some means of borrowing money
cannot be found.
Both suppositlons are based upon
what action the legislature will take
at this session regarding appropria-
tions. State Treasurer A. FL. Dahl
views the situation with trepidation
and upon request from Senator George
B. Hudnall sent him communication
explaining the condition of the state s
finances during the past few years.
'fThe disbursements have greatly ex-
ceeded the revenues Of the state the
past three years. says State Treasur-
er Dahl. FThe balance on hand in all
funds Jan. l, 1907, was $1,000, 420.59;
on Jan. l, 1908, $928,77114, and on
JAM l, 1909, $742,391 It will be seen
that the balance on hand on Jan. l.,
1908, was 1,13o, 649.45 less than on
Jan. /, 1907, and the balances on Jan.
1, 1909 was ST. SO less than on
Jan. l, 1907. The balance in the treas
ury today in all funds is 1,674, 1896;
the balance on the same date last year
was $2,268,388.81, or 1854, 134.86 more
than this year for the same date.
"The receipts in 1908 from May l to
Jan. l, 1909 were $4,473 ,O8418 and the
disbursements for the same period were
$5,979, 592.52; the disbursements were
$1,o06,508.34 In excess of the revenues
for the eight months. But we had
$2,268, 388.81 in the treasury on April
"a, 1908 and this left balance on
hand on Jan. |, 1909, Of $742,391. This
year we have only $1,674,25395 on hand
on April "a; if receipts and disburse-
ments will be the same this year as
Last, the balance on Jan. /, 1910 will
be only $167745.61. Taxes will not be
collected before February 10, when the
treasury will be replenished. The re-
ceipts for the month Of January, 1909.
were 1886, 45131, while the disburse-
ments for the same month were
1851, 1886, or $245,744.65 in excess of
receipts. AS the balance on Jan. /,
1910 will be only $167,745.61 and the
disbursements will be $245, 744.65 in ex-
cess Of receipts, there will be a short
age of $77, 10000 on Febrpary /, next
in all funds in the treasury.
These figures are based on receipts
and disbursements for 1903, but the ex-
penditures will be vastly greater this
year in some departments. This is
legislative year and the expenditure on
the publication Of the blue Books ).
of about $4,000, publishing general
laws of about $4,000 and other print
ing bills connected with the work 81
, the legislature will add materially tc
these amounts. The capital commits
sion will expend from 100000 t
/ $450,000 more during this period thar
was expended last year. The expenses
Of conducting the new nomal schoo
from Sept. to Feb. l, will add another
$4,000 to the disbursements Will
these added expenditures over last yea1
we may have a shortage on Feb. l mex
of 100000 or more.
Expenses are continually increasing
and instead Of increasing the revenue,
to meet the increasing expenditures WI
find several bills now before the legis
! lature, which if enacted into law would
materially reduce our sources of in
come. A bill to allow counties to de
, duct 25 per cent for collecting inheri
! lance taxes instead of five per cent al
3 the law now provides, to reduce TIL
taxes of life insurance companies b,
: approximately $35O,00O per annum,
. bill to distribute a part of the railroad
tax to the counties are samples of bills
which if passed, would pave the wa,
for state tax of at least $4,000 .O0t
annually, or about rs mills Of loca
assessments.
Tax payers are now burdened witt
heavy school and local taxes. VIVA
would be the result if a state tax o
this amount were added!
! wish to call attention to thes
facts, trusting this may in some de
gree assist the legislature in it's de
. liberations regarding all increases il
appropriations and the cutting dow
! of the revenues of the state.''
Lester White is here from Coggswell
+ n D., for a visit with his father j
/ TT yHL:4o