Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-02-08
Two Tax Bills introduced.


Senator H. J. Severson, lola, intro
duced one of the bills in the upper
house, while Speaker John L. Dahl,
Rice Lake, offered the other bill in
the assembly.
While both measures aim to accom-
plish the same things, their provisions
are widely dissimilar in many re-
spects. Each bill, however, provides
for raising exemptions under the
present income tax law from $1,000 to
$1,000 for the head of a family and
from 5000 to $500 for each minor
child or dependant, but the exemption
of $500 for a single person remains.
The Severson bill is radically diff
ferent than any proposed law that has
been given publicity. In its inception,
it is a surtax measure affecting in
comes over $4,000 The Dahl bill is
a straight income tax measure
throughout.
Easy on Small Incomes.
1t is estimated that the Severson
bill will raise $6,5O0,000 through a
system of surtaxes which falls. lightly
upon the smaller incomes, but in
cTeases to II per cent on individual
incomes in excess of $4,000. 1t wipes
out all state taxes on general property
and shifts the burden to incomes.
Mill. taxes for the support of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin, Normal schools
and common schools are abolished.
The Severson bill would not repeal
the personal property offset, as pro-
posed in the Dahl bill. The Dahl bill
would repeal the secrecy clause of
the present income tax law. A sep
arate bill has been presented by
Senator Seyerson to accomplish this
end. In it's various provisions the
Severson bill aims to carry out the
platform pledges Of the Republican
party. The tax on stock dividends
that it proposes, would raise $4,000
600 a year, it is estimated. In addi-
ton to the normal income tax, corpor-
ations would pay a surtax rate of
per cent upon all taxable incomes in
excess of $4,000. The normal income
tax on corporations is progressive,
ranging from l to per cent. The
Severson bill provides surtax in adj
dftion to this amount.
The special surtax now in effect for
supporting the state teachers retire
ment fund law would be repealed and
this fund replenished by earnings
undar fha Severson hill
The Dahl bill proposes a straight
income tax ranging from l to 20 per
cent on incomes.
Offset Repeal is Issue.
The chief difference of opinion will
center about the question of whether
the personal property offset should be
repealed as proposed in the Dahl bill.
The tax on smaller incomes under the
two measures is about the same, the
Severson bills provision falling Slight
ly easier on the ordinary person.
Under the Seyerson bill, married
man with no dependents and an in
come of $4,000, is allowed an exemp-
ton on his normal income of $1,000
and would pay a normal tax of $3.50
on $1,000. In addition to this, under
the Severson bill, he is allowed an
exemption of $4,000 before the surtax
rates become effective. He then would
pay tax on $4,000 at the rate of 1
per cent on the first thousand and IL
per cent on the second thousand.
This would be a surtax payment of
$25. In ALL he would pay $68.50 I'm
der the Dahl bill, a man with a $4,000
income, under the same circumstances
would pay $72.
Seven Appointments Confirmed.
Seven appointments by Gov. John
J. Blaine were confirmed by the SEN
ate. They are: ]. @. Emery, state
dairy and food commissioner; L. A
TarreI, member of industrial commits
sion; Drs. Lyman A. Steffen and Gus
tav Windeshiem, members of state
board of health and vital statistics;
A. C. Dick, John H. Kaiser, and Joseph
G. Lazansky, members of state board
of public affairs.
Blaine Names Inspection Committee.
Appointments of the legislative visit
ing committee charged with inspection
of all state charitable, penal and edu-
cational institutions, has been an
by Gov. Blaine.
Those named on the committee are:
Senators B. Casperson, Frederic,
and J. L. Barber, Marathon county;
Assemblymen- Fred C. Smith, Ash
land; Gustav Zittlow, West DePere;
John Camper, Medford, and Alex G.
Rufing, Milwaukee.
Before the legislature takes up con-
sideration of problems involving the
state charitable and penal institutions
this committee visits each with view
to determining conditions under which
inmates are living.
Proposes Cities as Food Dealers.
A bill permitting cities of the first
class under a special charter to estab-
lish a department of markets was in
troduced in the legislature by Assem-
blyman George Gauer, Milwaukee.
The bill would empower the COM
mon councils to establish a depart
ment of markets and through this de-
partment to buy, transport and sell
foodstuffs.