The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-11-30
HOAN IN PROTEST.
TOROAD PROGRAM
Milwaukee Mayor Appeals
to Governor to Block
Highway Plan.
APPEALS FOR CITIES

Milwaukee, Wis.-Mayor Daniel W.
Hoan, Milwaukee, in a letter to Gov
John j. Blaine today charged that A. R.
Hirst, State Highway Engineer, had
been holding numerous sessions with
the representatives of county boards
and by making certain concessions to
them, had been organizing and secur-
ing their aid to put through his plan
of taking money from towns, villages
and cities to help his department and
the state government. Mayor Hoan
said in his letter that he had no com
plant to make about the past policy of
the state except to furnish facts and
to explain why officials of the League
of Wisconsin Municipalities voted
unanimously to oppose any further
legislation which would take away fur
Their taxable property from localities
for the benefit of state government.
mo doubt the question of taxation
will be Of prime Importance before the
next legislation" Mayor Hoan said.
you, Mr.. Governor, have thus far
shown a fair and reasonable attitude
on these matters of interest to the
people of the state. feel certain that
if the following facts are called to your
attention, you will not hesitate in put
ting your foot down on so unjust
piece of taxation humbuggery as is
proposed by Mr., Hirst," said Mr. Hoan.
an the first place" he added, "vari-
Gus state administrations have fire.
quently expressed themselves that the
property tax is as high as it should
be, while at the same time they were
able to boast that the state levied no
tax for state purposes. How has it
happened that in towns, cities and vii
lagos property tax rates have continu-
ally increased while the state has not
been required to levy a tax for state
purposes? It has happened, among
other reasons, because the state of
Wisconsin, has, for great many years,
Systematically pursued a policy of
gradually taking away one class of tax
able property after another from
towns, villages and cities and diverting
these revenues into the state treasury.
BY this indirect taxation the state Sc
cures the monies necessary to run its
government. The effect, however, is to
increase tax rates in the local units of
government.
"Let us see how this state tax policy
affects one locality, which is typical of
others. In 1921 the state collected
from the railroad, express and tele-
graph tax of this city CMilwaukee)
S950000 and from the insurance tax
$640,000; from the inheritance tax,
$225,000, and from automobile regis
tration fees 100000, total of $1,718,-
900, all money collected and turned
into the state treasury from property
located in this community, none of
which was returned to Milwaukee.
"Now comes Mr.. Hirst with his plan
to take away from cities, towns and
villages virtually all of the taxation
now derived from automobile vehicles
and turn the same into the state treas
ury. He would increase the revenues
of the state derived from automobile
tax and registration fees from four to
ten million dollars annually. His plan
involves the following:
"To create a new state tax of two
cents a gallon on gasoline to yield
$2,5OO,OOO
To eliminate the personal property
tax on autos, which now goes princi-
pally to local units of government and
to substitute two per cent valuation
tax, which would yield another $780,
900 to fatten the state treasury.
To add fee of $10O per hundred
weight on all motor trucks, producing
another million dollars a year for the
state. All of this to 60 to the state
treasury. He proposes to throw one
little crumb to the cities, towns and
villages, namely: The bulk of the tax
on heavy trucks. Remember that every
farmer lives in a town, as do the vii
lage folks in villages. Hirst's scheme
will rob these local governments of all
save one-twentieth of the revenue de-
rived from automobiles and turn nine
teen-twentieths into the state govern
ment.
"The point desire to urge is that
we are not opposed to good roads; in
fact, are willing to continue to pay our
SHaAC anu ulOIG LuaI OuI snare LOWdIOS
the good roads program. We are not
willing, however, to have our local
treasury depleted for no other reason
than to permit the state legislature to
get out of the responsibility of levying
the taxes necessary to meet the pro-
gram it adopts.
eve favor the automobile paying a
larger share of the cost of good roads,
but the local units of government have
their local street problems just as well
as the state. Automobiles should pay
a larger share towards the maintenance
of roads and streets, but it is no more
fair to deprive the farmer of his share
of increased taxation on automobiles
through his town government than it is
to take away from residents in villages
and cities in similar manner.
"The effect Of the so-called Hirst bill
will lessen the revenues Of the local
unity of government in this state, and
will force their local property tax rate
higher and higher if they are to keep
pace with the growing needs Of their
roads and streets.
81 trust, therefore, in the event that
your Excellency proposes an increase
of taxation on automobiles, that you
will also recommend that such increase
be divided equally between the state
and local units of government, as the