Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-05-04
STATE To TAX
AUTO OWNERS
Legislature FayOrs Bill Provid-
ilg 2 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.

Madison. - Wisconsin automobile
owners wiIl probably be compelled 10
pay > Der cent tax to the state, based
ou the value 81 their car. in addition
20 the regular $40 license fee
The bm Un this subjeCt - Hs In
frum the committee this week and the
sentiment of tile legislature seems 20
favor o. This . per cent tax viii take
the place Uf 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 10 the
state &c fhe time the license applica-
tlUu Is nIetL Secretary 81 State Elmer
= Hall and a number Of others have
been active leo working out a new au-
tUmobile tax plan.
The funds raised from these two
sUurces-lieeuse and privilege tax
viii take care OF all highway improve
meut. License revenues will 20 10 the
maintenance fund and the privilege
tax viii De- devoted 10 road and bridge
construction and administration.
In addition O. stating the license
number. the registration plate viii
bear an alphabetical designation show
IuE The value It's owner places upon
ID for taxation purposes. The letter
"A" viii Indicate cars worth less than
$40. Zach successive letter. up to
and Including the letter y. indicates
au increase ~ $50 iu value. The let
ter tx indicates a valuation ~ from
5000 Go SEQ. and each additional
letter, up to and Including IN repre-
~rufs on Increase ~ $50. Beginning
with the letter -3I~ which indicates
a valuation ~ 5000 O. $500. each
letter represents am Increase Uf 500.
uu to and including the letter "R,'
which represents q valuation from So
-uu rb 5000 Beginning with 'eI7' the
valuation Increases S1.WU each letter
uu CO. and including the letter y"
Tie letter -" indicates ears worth
$1,000 ur mere.
TIE -f1s-sH.ratinn clause is safe
guarded Fr 81 provision that 40 auto
owner shalt be able tU recover in am
amount greater than tire value be GER
t.res fUr taxation purposes. The bin
ALSO Contains provision under which
tive persons may sign "a statement Co
tte secretary Uf state declaring any
naturalization ~ which they have
knowledge. Upon reoeipt ~ this
statement the secretary Uf state viii
certify fhe facts hack 90 the local as
SCISSOR for ueKaIuatiun. lf the owner
is found tn have underKalued his car
bis license fs forfeited and another 81
the proper classification Is issued GA
e. penalty payment or double the usual
tse and privilege tax
This bll wipes our the general prop
erty tax for highway purposes,
mounting o. Sl.7pnUoO a year. or ap-
rruXJuatply r0ur-trrths ~ q min
utilized Co meet federal aid require
ueuts
Under the state aid law S1S5o0o a
year Is taken from the general fund
and SIu0w0 from the same fund for
special bridge purposes These pro-
visions are wiped out. thus saving So
$1,000 ru the state.
It meaus the collectiuu ~ a larger
revenue from automobile taxes. They
are now taxed as personal property.
the money going Ca the Local units. II
o. estimated that 5000 escape taxa
tiUu each year.
The average true value placed by
the Wisconsin tax commission I'm 1870
was S5t1 and. assuming that Jo.oo0
cars ESCAPED taxation based on a rate
q - per cent. it would mean loss Of
STs-sUsN
Mo1orrucss win De taxed On n basis
90 carrying capacity.
The most interesting personality
around the legislature Is John Luch-
singer ~ Monroe. who was first a
member ~ the assembly - years ago.
aud then again ~ years since. serving
for the last time in 1857. The state
historical collections contain an adj
mirahls article by him on the Swiss
colony which came over from the old
country iu 1876. settling az New Gla-
rus and founding the cheese industry
which has grown O. mammoth proper
tons around that region. Mr.. LuCh-
singers parents left switzerland six
months ahead ~ the colony. tarrying
FOR a time In Pennsylvania. then CON-
iuE on % Green county. HE was born
in the canton 81 Giarus. Switzerland.
tn $50. - today Is a bit past eighty.
yet appearing twenty years younger
q fue TIVE physically and mentally of
his splendid nationality and ~ Ameri-
can citizenship.