The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1921-04-29
Legislature FavorS Bill Provid-
ing z Per Cent Tax.
WILL GO TO HIGHWAY FUND
Assessment VIII Take Place of Local
Personal Property Tax Now Paid
on Machines-To Put Value
on License Plates.

peueu TO pay per cent Tax 10 tnc
state, based on the value of their car,
in addition to the regular $40 license
fee. The bill on this subject came in
from the committee this week and the
sentiment of the legislature seems to
favOr it. This 2 per cent tax will take
the place of the local personal prop
erty tax now paid on automobiles.
Scores of conferences have been
held over this measure all winter. The
tax payment would be made to the
state at the time the license applica-
ton is filed. Secretary of State Elmer
S. Hall and a number of others have
been active in working out new au-
tomobile tax plan.
The funds faised from these two
sOurces-license and privilege tax
will take care of all highway improve
ment. License revenues will go to the
maintenance fund and the privilege
tax will be devoted to road and bridge
construction and administration.
In addition to stating the license
number, the registration plate will
bear an alphabetical designation show
ing the value it's owner places upon
it for taxation purposes. The letter
"a" will indicate cars worth less than
$500. Each successive letter, up to
and including the letter 81" indicates
an increase of 5000 in value. The let
ter tx" indicates a valuation of from
$4,000 TO $2,250, and each additional
letter, up to and including IN" repre-
sents an increase of $3.50. Beginning
with the letter I'M" which indicates
valuation of $4,000 to $500, each
letter represents an increase of $500,
up to and including the letter "R, )"
which represents valuation from $4,-
500 to $4,000. Beginning with 'T'' the
valuation increases $1,000 each letter,
up to and including the letter OK"
The letter "Z'' indicates cars worth
$4,000 or more.
The self-valuatiOn clause is safe
guarded by a provision that no auto
owner shall be able to recover in an
amount greater than the value he GER
titles for taxation purposes. The bill
also contains provision under which
five persons may sign statement to
the secretary of state declaring any
differentiation of which they have
knowledge. Upon receipt of this
statement the secretary of state will
certify the facts back to the local as
SCISSOR for revaluatiOn. If the owner
is found to have undervalued his car
his license is forfeited and another of
the proper classification is issued on
penalty payment of double the usual
fee and privilege tax.
This bill wipes out the general prop
erty tax for highway purposes,
amounting to $1700000 a year, or ap-
proximately four-tenths of mill,
utilized to meet federal aid require
ments.
Under the state aid law $7S5, 900 a
year is taken from the general fund
and 100000 from the same fund for
special bridge purposes. These pro-
visions are wiped out, thus saving ST.
$4,000 to the state.
1t means the collection of a larger
revenue from automobile taxes They
are now taxed as personal property,
TIC lnO1lCy GUNS W IiiC lOCoA II
is estimated that $4,000 escape taxa
ton each year.
The average true value placed by
the Wisconsin tax commission in 1920
was 1858 and, assuming that $4,000
cars escaped taxation based on a rate
of per cent, it would mean a loss Of
$563,000.
MotOrtrucks will be taxed on basis
of carrying capacity.
The most interesting personality
around the legislature is John Luch-
singer of Monroe, who was first
member of the assembly AZ years ago,
and then again % years since, serving
for the last time in 1887. The state
historical collections contain an adj
mirable article by him on the Swiss
colony which came over from the old
country in 1916, settling at New Gla-
rus and founding the cheese industry
which has grown to mammoth proper
tons around that region. Mr.. Luch-
singers parents left Switzerland six
months ahead of the colony. tarrying
for a time in Pennsylvania, then COM
ing on to Green county. He was born
in the canton Of Glarus, Switzerland,
in 1889, so today is a bit past eighty,
vet appearing twenty years younger
a fine type physically and mentally of
his splendid nationality and of Ameri-
can citizenship. Mr.. Luchsinger is a
banker of prominence and has lived
at Monroe more than forty years.
The appointment of special COM
mittee of five members, two senators
and three assemblymen, to investigate
the probable purchase of the Dells of
the Wisconsin river as a state park,
was approved by the assembly. This
resolution has already been through
the senate The move on this project
was made by Assemblyman T. a. Con-
way, Milwaukee. He will probably be