Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1912-01-19
new LAW is UPHELD
WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT
HANDS DOWN DECISION.
INCOME TAX LAW HELD VALID
Creates Three New Offices in Each
County.

The Supreme Court of the state
has recently rendered decision de-
claring the Income Tax Law consti-
tutional and valid The opinion was
prepared by Chief Justice Winslow.
There are thirty-nine assessment
districts in the state, and an assess
or is to be appointed for each by the
State Tax Commission. The enforce
ment of the law is in the hands of
the state tax commissioner of which
/ K. X Kennan of Milwaukee is the
supervisor.
The new law makes a change in
our system of taxation that will not
be understood by many until the law
is in operation. First there will be
40 more assessing and collecting of
tax on personal property by the towns
or cities, but all personal property
above the exemptions will be taxed
| by the state and the whole amount
| paid to the state. Town and county
governments will be supported Who'll
| ly by tax on real estate only.
| payers shall keep and report q cor
The law contemplates that tax
| rect record of their years income.
This information is to be kept secret
| by the income assessors, and offend
ers are subject to a heavy fine or i'm
prisonment.
The exemptions include individual
| incomes up to $500 A husband and
| wife are allowed $1,000, and for each
child under Is years of age, and for
each legal dependant in the family as
additional sum of 5000
Thus husband and wife with four
children would be entitled to receive
an income Of (Which means money
received during the year from all
| sources excepting the sale Of real
estate) during the year of $4,000.
On all incomes over the said ex-
emptions the rate OF taxation to be
paid to the state will be as follows:
First ST. 900 or part thereof, l per
cent; second $1,000 or part Ia per
cent third $1,000 or part ~ per
cent; fourth $1,000 or part, IL per
cent; fifth 1000 or part, per cent;
sixth $1,000 or part, "a per cent;
seventh $1,000 or part, 3 per cent;
eighth $1,000 or part, 31a per cent;
| ninth $1,000 or part, per cent;
tenth $1,000 or part, AZ per cent;
eleventh ST. 900 or part, per cent;
| Twelfth $1,000 or part, 51a per cent;
over $4,000, per cent.
Income in the new law includes
the following;
All rent and real estate, including
the estimated rental of residence pro-
perty occupied by the owner; money
loaned or invested wages, salaries
or fees derived from services, except
Of public officials; dividends or pro-
fits derived from stock; royalties from
franchises or legalized privileges of
any kind, and all other income not
exempted. Pensions and postmasters
salaries are not taxable Incomes of
corporations are assessed by the state
| tax commission: of individuals by the
the county assessors of whom thirty
| nine will be appointed, each to have
s,+,,
| lips Times.
| The new income tax law creates
three new offices in each county Of
| the state in addition to the regular
county and district assessor of in
comes. The law also imposes extra
| duties upon the county clerks. The
| law provides that the state tax com
missioner shall appoint three resi-
! dent tax payers in each county to
serve as county board of review,
and shall fix their compensation at
not to exceed ten dollars a day 1t
also provides that the county clerk
shall be clerk of such board and shall
keep an accurate record of the pro-
ceedings of the board. He must also
take full minutes of all evidence given
before the board. 1t is provided,
however, that the board, with the ap-
proval of the assessor OF incomes.
may employ stenographer, but the
county clerk must keep in his office a
complete record of the proceedings
of the board.
No one connected with the assess
ment of incomes can divulge or make
known in any manner whatever any
information coming to him in the
(Cnnfinifeh On pana