Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1921-03-04
Message to Legislature Hits Adj
GitionaI Taxes.
STATES FINANCIAL STATUS
Executive Says "The Necessity for
Economy is Urgent; We Are Now
Facing Period Of Depression
and reconstruction"

This was the cruX of the message
delivered by Gov. John ]. Blaine be-
fore both houses of the Wisconsin leg
islature in a joint session early this
week. experimenting the message,
which was read by the governor, were
80 financial tables showing the exact
financial condition of the state. Econ
omy was the watchword of the mes
sage.
in studying the financial conditions
Of the state, continued the governor.
'the necessity for economy becomes
to me more and more urgent. We are
now in a period of depression. recon-
Struction and uncertainty. ON the
other hand. there are services due the
people from the government and II
would he an unwise financial policy If
We neglect any necessary or essential
needs of our Institutions.
ITO postpone a day of reckoning is
not economy. To temporize with con-
ditions that should be corrected is not
craftsmanship To permit the states
property TO go into delapidation and
decay is the utmost extravaganza. for
the old adage, "a stitch in time saves
nine applies to a state and her insti-
tutions, as well as TO individuals"
Governor Blaine called his financial
tables "an inventory of the financial
condition of the state" He said mat
the general property tax levies-that
is, taxes on tangible property for all
purposes. includin" stare "n''nts'
town, city, village and school district
have increased from the sum OF 3d.
61O.975 in 1917 to s96,000,000 in 1920.
and that the average tax rate for the
same purposes has increased from
OIL in 1917 to ,0237 in 1920.
Governor Blaine then said:
1.-THE estimated receipts for the hi
ennial period beginning July ! next
are as follows: For the year 1921-l922.
900. 152. 659.54; for the year 1922-l923.
S26, 349. 800 so. The requests for an-
preparations for the same period are
as follows: For the year 19211922,
s37 .032, 161 o.; for the year 1922-1923,
49,. 904. 321.11. It will he seen that the
requests exceed The receipts for the
aTst year &c the aeriod by $3.50 4G3.-
81. and for the second year by $S,554,-
1881.
"In my opinion. the estimated re-
ceipts are excessive. for the reason
that the railroad taxes, which are
based upon the average tax rate for
the state, will be decreased on account
Of the absence Of a general tax for the
holders recognition fund. and in times
of depression IT is reasonable to pre-
sumo that other state incomes will be
less"
Takes on real and personal proper
ty have incrt ased in the last six years
from 1000, 900 in 1914 TO $96.000Wo
In 1920 or an increase of 100 per
cent" said Governor Blaine.
without including employees in the
educational. charitable and penal in
,titutions, there has been an increase
IN the last five or six years of 30
per cent in the number of state en-
ployees.
1.-THE number Of commissions has in
creased exceeding 80 per cent.
1.-THE appropriations made in 1919
for the biennial period exceed the re-
ceipts by about 100000.
"The requests for appropriations for
the next biennium exceed the eStmat-
a receipts by about S16,000,0o0.
"The funds available for highway
purposes on January /, 1921, leave
rec balance in the state treasury of
about S1.00O,000.
1.-THE teachers Insurance and retire
ment fund shows a present deficit Of
over S11.0O0.0OO, if the provisions of
the present law are observed.
"The university asks for new build
lngs. lands, etc. Capital accounts) for
The next two years, four times as much
as It spent for the same purpose in
the last six years.
THE board of control asks nearly
twice as much for the next two years
as it spent in the last six years, for
new buildings, lands, etc.
1.-The emergency appropriations ana
The deficits asked amount to S1.3OFo,
md there has been no money provided
20 pay the same
Governor Blaine then discussed deii-
iency appropriations. He said that
budget estimates showed an estimated
aeficit of $685., 720.3s for the biennium
ending June 80 next.
over Million-Do'Iar Deficit.
That over a miIlion-dollar deficit
has been Incurred by the state board
If control in the last two years was
he statement of Commissioner George
3. Harris before the joint finance com
Tittee. OF the million-dollar total
100000 was granted them by the
emergency board last years They now
lsk for an emergency appropriation