The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-11-28
Income Taxes viii be Col
lected by City Treasurer
Same as Other Taxes
LAW NOT HELD IN QUESTION
State Supreme Court Has Decided Thet
Tax is Constitutional and Towns aud
Cities Have Wide Powers in Making
Collections.

s-
Next January the people Of the state
VIII have the unique and not alto
gether pleasant experience q paying
an ipcome tax. IL will BE- paid at the
same time as other taxes. There is no
getting away from il. Even if The
income tax Law should be repealed by
the next legislature, the tax now as
sessed would have to be paid.
The amendments to this latest bit
Of radical legislation viii be one OF
the principal features Of the legisla-
tive session of 1913. That it must be
amended, and materially, even it's
strongest supporters admit. WhiIo it
was put through this year almost by
force of arms, it was seen that in or
der to make it workable, without such
an amount of friction as to make it
more and more odious in the eyes of
the people Of the state, many and some
drastic changes must be made.
What shape these changes will take
is a matter of conjecture. Ii has been
announced that the, tax commission
has been working on amendments
which, it is asserted, will make the
law more smooth in its operation, but
If So the commission has succeeded up
to date in bottling up the features
which they will suggest. Gov. McGov-
ern, in his appearance before the West
minister league just before election,
stated that the law would be greatly
amended. The governor at that time
said that he would favor shorter and
less inquisitorial return, the doing
away with the necessity 1or a notary IS
signature to the return, and permit
ting those who did not come under the
income tax to say so without the noces-
sity of coming before the supervisor
of incomes at expense of time and
money. These were the only amend
ments which the governor expressed
himself in favor Of, though he admit
ted that there were many other
changes necessary in order to make
the law work smoothly,
In addition to the changes suggest
ed by Gov. McGovern there is a belief
that the features Of the law providing
for the including of the rental value
of a homestead as part Of the income
Of the owner ought to be amended as
an encouragement of thrift which finds
little encouragement under the present
provisions It III also probable that an
attempt will be made to increase the
exemptions. Another thing to demand
a change is the feature of the law re-
garding exemptions for people depen-
dent on taxpayers for support. This
was one Of the features Of the law
which was pushed to the front in the
legislature Of 1911 by its advocates
as showing that ample provision was
made to lift the burdens Of the in
come tax as far as possible. It was
pointed out that for every dependent
on taxpayers an exemption of 5000
was permitted.
This was accepted at its face value
and it was supposed the law il this re-
gard meant just what it said. When
the law had been passed and was on
the statute books the ,ax commission
called attention to the fact that the
word dependents meant legal depen-
dents, which was another matter en-
tirely, as beyond his wife and child
rem man has no persons legally lie
pendent on him. Consequently, if he
was supporting a father or mother, uD.
less they were helpless, Or relatives
outside Of minor children, he was en-
titled to no exemption whatever in
such case, he had to pay the tax just
the same on the money which he used
to support these dependents. There viii
unquestionably be an attemp5 to cor
rect this palpable injustice,
Several attempts have been made to
secure statements from the members
Of the tax commission regarding
amendments to the Law, but the com
missioners have been chary Of giving
out anything. Where they have been
quoted explanations and corrections
have followed The commissioners are
working on amendments, il Is admit
ted, but what they win 5ring forta
will no be known until enc legislature
is about ready to convene.
| So far as the manufacturing inter
ests Of the state are concerned, there
has, it is stated, been nothing done IN
the way Of preparing amendments to-
the present law, mach as they are to-
be desired So far as can be learned
the manufacturers viii wait and see
what Is proposed BY the commission Eli
the way Of relieving burdens which the
industries Of the state are now carry
ing.
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