Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-05-14
PUBLIC UTILITY
TAXES HIGHER
COMMISSION SETS PRELIMINARY
VALUATION OF $37 ,s44, 900 ON
TRACTION COMPANIES.
INCREASE NEARLY S3,000,O0O.
Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light
Company Leads List with Valua-
ton of $22 1000 900.
INCREASE NEARLY 5000, 1000.
FIGURES TO BE REVISED LATER.

Ii
preliminary valuations of street rail
way companies, and light heat and pow
or companies operated in connection
herewith come to a total of S3T,344, 900
n Wisconsin. This is the total set
forth in the report of the preliminary
assessment of the state tax commission
issued yesterday. Within the next
month the companies will be given
hearings and at the end of the argu-
nents it is likely that the total will be
pulled down somewhat. The last pre-
iminary valuation, which was the first
made under the new ad yalorem sys-
tenn. was S36,09S,000 The final yalua-
lion was $33, 932 900. Thus it is fair
10 assume that the present valuation of
S3I $4,000 will be brought down to
something like $35,000,0O0.
The taxes to be paid by the several
companies will be figured out after the
bnal valuation on the basis of 1.430S40TG
per cent. of such valuation.
Milwaukee Company Leads.
The valuation Of the Milwaukee Flee
tric Railway and Light company is
100000 greater than last years final
valuation; the valuation of the Milwau-
kee Light, Heat and Traction company
is 100000 greater than last year
The full table of valuations as issued
by the tax commission is as follows:
Ashland Light, Power and Street
railway company .............$ l35 OOI
Beloit Traction company ......... 62oOd
Chippewa Valley Ry. Light and
Power company ............. II50OQ
Duluth Street railway company. $4,000
Eastern Wisconsin Railway and
Light company ......~.... COCOON
Green Bay Traction company. 775,Oul
Evansville Street railway company 3T,UOd
Kenosha Electri railway com
La Crosse and Oualaska Street
railway company ............. 20,OOU
La Crosse City railway company. 45OOoU
Manitowoc and Northern Traction
Menomlnee and Marinette Light
and Traction company ......... 230,0OU
Merrill hallway and Light COM
pany 49,. Observation-Disclosures. 10000
The Milwaukee Electric Railway
and Light company. ............ 22,oo0,ooU
Milwaukee Light, Heat and Trac-
ton company .................. 5,6OO,oOU
Milwaukee Northern railway com
pany ..................... 1,6T5, OOU
Rockford and Interurban railway
company .................... 295,OoU
ShebOygan Light, Power and Rail-
way company ................. $40, OOU
Southern Wisconsin railway COM
pany ..................... roc, 900
Twin City General Electric com
pany 45,O0U
Waupaca Electric Light and Rail
way company .......... S5OSI
Wausau Street railroad company 235, OOU
Winnebago Traction company. 500 OOU
Wisconsin Traction, Light, Heat
and Power company. ..... 9GO,OOU
So, 234, 900
Chicago and Milwaukee Electric
railway company and Fidelity
trust company as receiver there
Of Observation-Disclosures. 11O,OOG
S37 ,344, 900
OF the total IS per cent. is retained by
the state and 50 per cent. is distributed
in the towns, cities and villages in which
the property is located.
Taxes 80 Per Cent. Higher.
The application of the ad valorem sys-
tenn of street railway companies of the
state has increased their taxes OH an
average of more than 30 per cent. as
compared with the amounts paid by
them under the old license fee system.
If the preliminary assessment an
nounced yesterday of $37 100000 is ad
hered to the companies will pay a total
tax of $425,T11.GO as compared with
$500, 637.75 last year. This is the sec
end year that the street railways have
been taxed under the I'D valorem system,
according to the value Of their property
instead of upon the basis of gross earn
lngS. Under the law now IN force Ii
per cent. of the total tax collected IS
retained by the state. This amounted
to $5S,595 last year and under the pres
ent preliminary assessment would
amount to $63.S56. The other S5 per
cent. is distributed propOrtionately
among the towns, villages and cities
through which the lines operate accord
ing to the valuation of the property in
each of the localities. Under the old Ii
70 ha orr Inn Z
per cent. In 1907 this amounted to $780,
207 The possible increase this year
over the old license fee system in its last
year, will be about $41 800.
The preliminary assessment announced
yesterday now is subject to further hear
ings by the different street car companies
and may result in some reductions. 1t
is expected that the final assessment
will be announced early in June.