The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-07-05
City Officials Face Hard Problem in Meeting
the Enforcement of the Proposed
New State Law.
REVIEW BOARD IN SESSION TODAY
City Valuation Not to be Increased Regardless of the
Fact That New Homestead Exemption Means Loss
Of S45OOOO From the Figures Of Other Years.

homesteads in Kenosha will be en-
titled to claim the exemption of $500
as provided by the state law and this
will mean a reduction in the assessed
valuation of $5,50O,000. On thirty
mill levy as was made last year this
will mean taxes to the amount of
S150,OOO.
ut is going to offer something of a
problem to even a city manager" was
the confession of City Manager Os-
born this morning. "a hundred and
fifty thousand dollars is considerable
to lop off the tax returns of Kenosha
without any warning, and it is mat
ter which will be up to the board of
review. and the city to look into"
"The only answer is to increase the
rate of the mill tax in order to take
care of this loss" was the suggestion
of the assessor.
The third option is to pare the ex-
penses of the city, with view of MAX
ing it possible for the city to get a.
long on hundred and fifty thousand
dollars less for the coming year.
No Great Chance in Assessments.
I'VE have not planned to make any
large increase in the assessment of
real estate in Kenosha for the year."
said Assessor John w. Stevens, "and
under our present plan the assess
ments will remain practically the same
as last year with the exception that
some changes must be made with a
view of equalizing. Some of the
valuations have been a little too low
and some of them have been a little
too high and there will probably be
some changes both upward and down
ward. Of course there will be a ma
terial increase in the total of the real
estate assessments on account of the
fact that many local improvements
have been made since the last valua-
ton. There have been streets paved,
sewers laid, homes built and additions
made to existing buildings and of
course all of these will contribute
something to an increased assessment.
Just how much this will mean can
not be forecasted until after the field
work has been completed"
Tempers Wind to Shorn Lambs.
That the city is going to temper the
wind to the shorn lambs is shown in
the announcement of the assessor in
regard to increased valuation due to
public improvements on various streets
in the city. 'This seventy per cent of
the cost Of these improvements will
not be added to the assessed valuation
in one year." continued the assessor,
but it will be spread over period of
three years providing for the small
amount of increase for each year. This
will make it easier for the property
owners to handle it and it appears to
me to be an equitable basis for hand
ling it."
1t is understood that the matter of
increased assessment of real estate
has already been considered by the
members of the council and that they
are convinced that it is not necessary
to make any radical valuation changes
this year.
The field work was started on the
first of May and under the usual work
ing out of the plans the valuation
will be completed some time the lat
ter part of August. It is intimated
that the city officials hope to get
| through without an increase in the
mill tax for next year.