Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-03-05
FREAR CAUTIONS
SOLONS AGAINST
HEAVIER Taxes
SECRETARY OF STATE WARNS LEG
ISLATORS IN REPORT TO THE
CLAIMS COMMITTEE.
SMALL BALANCE FOR 1910.
With No Decrease in Revenues There
Will Only Be So 900 on Hand
at That Time
CAPITOL EXPENDITURES HIGH.

MADISON, Wis, March 2.-LSpe-
cial. WISCONSIN taxpayers are in dan
ger of having heavy burdens placed upon
them if the appropriations asked of the
Legislature become laws. In a report
to the claims committee of the Legisla-
ture today, Secretary of State Frear
shows that if the revenues of the in
heritance tax were turned from the gem
eraI fund into the common school fund.
as proposed by Assembly Hull of Black
River Falls, 1T would leave deficit in
the general fund of possibly S150,000
by the end of the year 1903 without an
appropriation of one dollar for the bills
now before the Legislature"
Will Leave $21, 900
With no decreases in the present reve-
nues of the state there will remain in
the state treasury a sum not exceeding
$4,000 on January /, 1910. There are
bills before the Legislature asking in
creased appropriations from the state of
50, 1O7 1888. Mr.. Frear says this esti-
mate of an additional expenditure %
over S3,OOOOOO, 'squarely presents to
the Legislature the necessity of prOVid
ing other means for raising revenues
during the next two years or the alter
native of disalowing appropriations
asked for"
The secretary of states statement
shows that the estimated revenues for
1909, together with the balance on hand
at the beginning of the year will be So
154 1868 and the estimated expenditures
for 1909 will be Sc, 1913, 400, leaving
balance in the general fund of the treas
ury, on January l, 1910, of $20,S9S.
His estimate for receipts and expendi-
lures for the year 1910 shows slightly in
creased revenues and smaller disburse-
ments for that year with a balance in
the general fund of $SS9,44S on Jan
uary !, 1911.
Capitol Expense High.
In making these estimates, the sec
rotary calls attention to the capitol
building fund, for which an appropria-
ton of 100000 annually is made for
period of ten years. The expenditures
against this fund for 1907 amounted to
$239,014, and for the year 1908, $679,-
325.
The capitol commission estimates an
expenditure of $1,075,000 for 1909, and
of S750,0OO for 1910. The small treas
ury estimate of $2O,S9S, treasury bal
ance on January L, 1910, is explained
through the unexpected increase i'll estl-
mates made for the capitol building over
former estimates.
Apart from the Sc, 1873, 465 estimated
general expense for the year 1909, the
Legislature now has before it, bills pro-
posing increased or unusual appropria-
tons not included in the estimates
amounting approximately to So, lO7 1888.
In his statement to the general claims
committee. the secretary of state fur
ther says that in estimating the bal
ance in the treasury for the year 1910
at $3.50 44S the estimate of three-quar-
tiers of a million dollars is made for cap
ito building purposes, whereas increased
appropriations may be asked for if pro-
iected building plans are carried out
He states also that the balance in the
treasury on the first day of January,
1911, Includes the estimated receipt of
S450,000 from capitol building tax au
thorized by law, but which has never
before been levied.
Bill Lowers Revenue.
In making this estimate he calls atten-
ton to the fact that the Legislature now
has before it one bill which proposes to
decrease the revenues of the general
fund approximately 100000 during
1909 and 1910 by transferring inherit
ance taxes to the common school fund.
This bill was not considered at the
time the estimate was first made and if
it should become a law without a direct
tax, it would leave a deficit in the gen
eral fund of possibly $150,OO0 by the
end of the year 1909, without the ap-
preparation of one dollar for the bills
now before the Legislature.
Other bills reducing the tax of the in
surance companies and transferring the
tax on trust companies from the general
fund.- will further deplete the treasury
and increase the deficit at the end of
the year, if enacted into law.