The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-11-21
Valuation of Property of the
City Far Below Antici-
patton of Officers
MILL TAX IS A QUANDARY
Finance Committee Meets With Hard
Problem to Provide for Largely In
creased Expenses Of City Schools
Demand More Than 5 Mill Levy.

The hope Of low rate Of taxation in
Kenosha this year went glimmering on
Thursday when the assessors after
many months of labor completed the
new valuation of the city property and
while the valuation shows consider
able increase over last year the vast
loss Of personal property from The
working of the income law leaves the
net gain in the valuation at only a
little over $3,OO0,0O0 and there seems
to be absolutely no chance to reduce
the tax levy to a one per cent levy.
The total valuation as shown by the
books turned over to the city clerk to-
day is 1924, 179, 873.1O, while the valu-
alton last year was little over
$20,700.00. There is an increase Of
more than five million dollars in the
assessed value of the real estate this
year but the personal property shows
a loss Of more than two million dol
lars and the total is keen disap-
pointment to the men who make the
city levy.
It had been expected that the valu-
alton would reach at least thirty mil
lion dollars and many of the officials
expected it to 60 above this amount.
The city lost this year more thqn
100000 in certain classes Of person
al property which had been assessed
before the passing of the income tax
law and the loss in taxes from this
source Will be far in advance of the
amount returned to the city as in.
come taxes. The finance committee
of the council has not as yet held a
meeting to take care of making the
levy but as the city must raise in en-
CESS of 100000 from the taxes il or
der to meet fixed charges and running
expenses it looks certain that it will
be impossible to make anything Jess
than a twelve mill levy and it is pos
sible that the thirteen mill levy as
sessed last year will have to be luo.
Heated this year. A very large advance
has been found in the amount demand
ed for the schools of the city this year
and the total levy for school purposes
this year will be over $133,000 an in
crease Of more than $4,000 over last
year. This is nearly a two mill tax
in eff and it will require more than
a five mill tax to take care Of the de.
mands of the schools alone
The city must also raise large sum
to pay bonded indebtedness and two
mill levy win be necessary to pay the
bonds and interest that win fall due
this year There must be added To this
a one mill tax to the library, part
Of which will be returned to She council
later tax of at least a mill aud a
half will be needed to pay the remain
der of the cost of the trunk sewer so
that with a twelve mill tax levy but
two and one-half mills will be avail
able for all of the running expenses
of the city. Of course this is insult
fcent TO meet all demands, but some
plan win have to be found to reduce
the running expenses.
The past year has brought an I'M
usually large amount of public i'm
provements, The city has let con-
tracts for sixty-one pieces of sewer
and many thousand yards of paving.
1t is not expected that there win be
80 much of this work done next wear
and if there are any large sewers to
be built it will be necessary for the
council to provide bond issue to meet
lhe cost of them. 1t is also probable
that bond issue will be necessary to
raise the cost Of new school build
ing planned by the board of education.
Had the valuation of the property
Sf the city reached the $30,0oo,Oo0 ex-
Pected twelve mill levy would have
been sufficient to put the city in pref
ty good financial condition and would
probably have eliminated the nseos-
sity of bond issues.
What the city viii get from the n
come tax is very much Of problem.
Some Of the members Of the finance
committee believe that it win reach
$4,000, but Others think that $50 900
will be nearer the figure.