Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-07-07

Mr. Philip became governor and he
soon learned that there was little he
could do to lower taxes. A stalWart
legislature soon found that legis
lature may cut appropriations to the
/ bone and bring about economy in
state affairs and still make no appreci
able dent in the average tax statement
Instead Of taxes being reduced, taxes
we're increased in the state during the
Philip administrations
The Capital Times believes that the
progressives should be honest with
the people, concerning the question OF
| taxation, and start the education in
| Wisconsin that will fix the RESPONSE
bility where it properly belongs. The
progressives should be honest enough
to say that Gov John j. Blaine and a
progressive legislature are as helpless
to reduce taxes as were Gov Philip
and a stalwart legislature.
The editorial then proceeds to dis
cuss figures just given out by the
Department of Commerce at Wash
ington covering the taxes in the city
Of Madison According to these fig
ures the per capita taxes paid in Madi-
son for 1920 were $4727. OF, this
amount $1,000 was for the cost of
city. government, $6.52 for county gov.
eminent, and $3.50 for the cost of
state government This means on its
face that out of every dollar paid in
taxes in 1920 over 80 cents went for
the cost of city government and the
balance for state and county govern
ment We say on it's face. Included
in the $366 for the cost Of state gov
eminent are funds raised under the
state aid laws which are paid back
to the counties. For instance, $685.
600 is taken from the general fund
and distributed among the counties for
road purposes. In a similar way the
state tax of $1,700,00O to meet the
federal aid road funds is distributed
among the counties The figures Of
the state tax commission show that,
taking into consideration the funds
raised by state taxes and which are
allotted back to the local units, that
80 cents out of each dollar levied in
taxes in Wisconsin are levied or uti-
LIKED by the local units and only ten
cents go for state purposes. Com
menting on this situation, the editor
Of the Capital Times continues and
says;
If therefore, the bulk Of the taxes
are represented by the cost of local
government, how can men elected to
state Offices and to the state 1egis-
lature reduce charges over which they
have no control? The question of tax
es for the city of Madison is determin
ed, to the extent of at least rs per
cent, at the Madison city hall Every
commission at the capitol and nearly
every phase of state activity could
be wiped out and the difference in the
average tax receipt would be hardly
noticeable.
Are our mayors and our common
councils and our school boards, then,
altogether responsible for high taxes
No; they too are largely helpless.
Where government has been eff
Ciently maintained, the local govern
ing authorities raised for taxation
through the increased prices Of the
last ten years 1t costs more to build
school buildings than it did ten years
ago. School teachers must have
larger salaries than they did ten
years ago in order to live. 1t costs
more to pave and maintain the streets
Firemen and policemen have been
compelled to get higher salaries, in
order to meet the soaring prices on
the necessities of life.
High prices that is the crux of the
taxation question. Taxes cannot be
low, when prices are high. How silly
it is, then, to talk Of reducing taxes
by electing any man or set of men to
any state Offices. The man or set OF
J men who go before the people of Wis.
consin and promise to reduce taxes
through the medium of state offices
are either ignorant or dishonest
j