River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1921-03-24
DOES NOT FAVOR
TAX LAW CHANGE
Legislature Is. Not Friendly to
Proposed Measures.
WILL BE BIG ISSUE IN 1922
Governor Blaine Will Be Compelled to
Make Taxation Matters Chief Plat
form Plank in Fight for
Reelection.

any tax legislation Ut tHiS SCsSioh Va
the Wisconsin general assembly. The
body, by large vote, killed the c. Il.
Hanson bill for the repeal of the per-
sonal property offset in income taxes,
and it has indicated that it does not
| favor a change in the present tax
| laws.
| This means that Governor Blaine, II
| he stands for reelection, will be COM
PEELED to make taxation matters Oil
rect issue in the next campaign. The
Hanson bill, which was defeated in the
house, was recommended by Governor
| Blaine, by the state tax commission
and by at least two or three political
parties. Its defeat by the assembly
means that the tax issue will be fought
out in the 1922 election.
1t is probable that the assembly Will
| appoint a committee TO investigate tax
| matters. BY vote of 81 to 40, the as
| sembly has tabled the ingalls, resolu-
| ton which provides for tax investl-
| CATION. This means that this resolution
| can be taken from the table at any
| time and acted upon, and it is probable
! that the outcome of this tax discussion
will be that such committee will be
ultimately appointed.
The Titus resolution for an organ
lied reforestation project was the sub
| ject of long discussion in the senate
a few days ago The resolution pro
| vides that a sum not to exceed two
| tenths of a mill of the last state as
sessment may be appropriated for the
refOrestation work in the state. This
| would amount to about $9O0,OO0 under
the terms of the proposed constitution
al amendment. On the roll call the
resolution was passed % to 8.
An emergency appropriation of $780,
| 600 for the warden's department OF the
| conservation commission was passed
without opposition.
A part of the grain taxes of Superior.
| Milwaukee and other dock cities Will
| 90 to the counties and the state il the
senate follows the action taken by the
house in advancing the Edwards bill
for this purpose.
Up to 1915 grain was taxed as other
property and was subjected to all
| taxes. Then it was found that there
was little grain in elevators on May i.
| the tax assessing time, so the law was
| changed and an occupation tax was
imposed. The whole amount of this
tax went to the city where the elevator
! was located. The Edwards bill is for
! a division of this amount of grain tax
| collected so that 10 per cent will GO
to the state, 20 per cent to the county
and only 20 per cent to the city. AS
semblyman Polowski moved for the in
definite postponement of the bill. His
motion failed, 62-25.
In spite of the fact that the house
recently voted to repeal the dog tax
| law, it has engrossed and amended the
| Olson bill reducing the dog tax to 81
and 81, instead of So and So. as the
present law provides, and advanced it.
| The c. E. Hanson amendment to the
| constitution to allow sheriff to sue
| coed himself in Office was engrossed.
| This is the second time the amendment
has been approved by the legislature.
| If passed by the senate 1t will be sub
mitted to vote of the people in l922
| with the other constitutional amend
| ments.
A building program at the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin aggregating total
of SO, $4,000 is requested of the legis-
lature. Among the buildings desired
by the university are:
Addition to chemistry building, $751;
600; addition to Bascom hall, 1905, 600;
addition to engineering shops. $4S5,-
900: minor buildings at college of ag-
riculture, 100000; addition to law
school building, $56.250; addition TO
music hall, $91 ,250; addition TO extern
sion building, $130,0OO; addition to
service building, $4,000: additional
dorrnitories for girls. 100000; dormi-
tory for men, 100000; electric sub
station, $4,000; piers and shelters at
lake. $4,000; utility needs, boilers
ETC., $4,000.
1.-THE unusual increase in student at
tendance has emphasized the lack of
facilities said Mr.. Thorkelson, in ex-
planning the building program. 1T is
no exaggeration to state that the uni
versity is supplying instruction daily
TO 1000 students, with a building
capacity for 5000.
"The practical suspension of normal
university building activities for the
past seven years has created the I'M
usual accumulation of building needs"
Value of Wisconsin Farm Land.
The average acre value of all Wis
coLsin lands, with improvements, is
estimated by Joseph A. Becker of the
Wisconsin cooperative crop reporting
service, United States bureau of crop
estimates and Wisconsin state depart
ment of agriculture. at S125. compared
to $50 in 1920, 500 in 1919 and $1O2
In 1918. Average value of farm lands
&c ~