The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-11-11
THE CITY TAX LEVY

for next year and as to the amount that tflr-
ty mill levy will grant. There is still an item
Of county taxes but it is easy to guess that this
will be in the neighborhood Of hundred thous
and dollars and with this guess the council
committee can go ahead with the job of prun-
ing and cutting down with view of getting
the levy into thirty mills
With the valuation which has just been COM
pleted, valuation showing an increase of more
than ten million dollars in the valuation of the
taxable property Of the city the council is going
to find it very hard to find justification for
whooping up the taxes to thirty-ive or forty
mills. 1t is admitted that the city in the COM
ing year might find use for considerable more
money than a thirty mill tax will raise It is
certain however, that with proper pruning of
expenses and with proper issuance of bonds
that the city can make a getaway without
raising the mill tax levy This will not be pos
sible if every alderman is allowed to say just
how much must be spent by his" department.
Aldermen may dream dreams the same other
people but some times it is a mighty expensive
kind of dreaming Kenosha has done pretty
we'll with her public improvement program this
year and with the bridge and the breakwater
and lot of big projects out of the way, but
unpaid for, it might be just as well to lay off
the improvement program for the coming year
or at least to limit this program to the work
which appears to be necessary. Of course sew
ers must be paid and water mains extended
and few streets must be paved and put into
condition for traffic but with little good COM
mon sense lot of improvements can be push
ed along until the following year.
The committee must consider that it is 60
ing to be necessary to issue some bonds during
the coming year and undoubtedly it is the part
of wisdom to provide for such issues rather
than to slap everything on the tax roll
1t is admitted that it costs money to secure
the use of money but on the other hand money
for use in the business of the big factories of
Kenosha has a considerable more earning pow
er than the cost of securing it. The money
secured by bond issues will cost the city six
per cent year but there are mighty few men
in business who cannot make make more than
six per cent on invested capital and if these
men are forced to take money out Of their bust
ness to pay the six tav levies there is certain
to be objections and the right kind of objec-
tons.
We believe that before any tax levy is made
by the council the manufacturers and bankers
Of the city should be called into council with
the members of the finance committee with a
view of giving these men chance to express
their views. If these men feel that forty
mill tax levy will not be burden it is pro-
babe that most of the small tax payers would
be able to stand it. If these men who are di-
recting the plants which are furnishing en-
ployment to thousands insist that the city raise
a part of the money needed for city business
by the issuance of bonds their opinion should
be considered by the members of the finance
committee and the members of the council.
sts straight business proposition and the
members of the council should consider it as
such. The men who pay the most taxes are
naturally the men who are most interested and
they should have chance to be heard before
some arbitrary levy is made which might prove
a burden and seriously handicap the business
of the city.
The financial problem of Kenosha at the
present time is sufficiently serious to warrant
the city securing the best possible advice on
the handling of it. With ell respect for the
members of the council we believe that they
can be advised in this matter. Many Of them
are not financiers and we feel that most of them
will welcome the advice which more experienced
men can give them. Three weeks remains for
the making up of the city budget and this will
give time for many conferences which should
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