The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-06-19
Tell ROtariGns That Wisconsin
Is NOLU Facing Serious Problem,

in 1928 can be stated in this way:
State property Tax. SO, 110,0S9.
State Aids returned
Cess auto licenses). 6,849, 1922.
Net State Tax Minus. S 739,s33.
County Taxes $500. $40, $685.
State aid to counties. 2,653,7S6.
s2s, ITO ,os4. ESQ
Local and School taxes $40 ,36s,265
State aid to schools 4,196,186.
$74,564,451.
TOTAL .... $97,003, 652.
County Taxes in Wisconsin have in
creased from $8,0O0,000 in 1914 to their
present high level. Local and school
taxes have increased from $25,900,000
in 1914 to the. amount shown above.
Highways Cost Most.
IF you want to meet the facts as
they are you will soon learn that our
rapidly expended highway programs
are responsible for nearly all the in
crease in county taxes and that public
schools and local improvements coup
led with higher price levels give the
answer for our towns and cities.
IF you want to apply the remedy
where it exists you must change the
method of raising money for highways
by assessing more of the cost of con-
struction and maintenance on the
people who use the roads. The grad
uated license fee and the gasoline tax
provide the logical means. To say
that the gasoline tax is sales tax is
to be the question and to furnish an
excuse for veto, not reason.
"In towns and cities it is necessary
to exercise greater economy and re-
sist too rapid advance in municipal I'M
dertakings.
"The tax bills presented in the last
session wers hastily drawn without
knowledge of the conditions they were
applied to or due consideration of the
results which would follow. This
statement is confirmed by recent
speech of the Governor at GAINESVILLE
where he referred to the Dahl and Sew
erson bill as being conceived at night
and born the next morning.
Generally speaking, these bills at
tempted to double state income taxes
by increased rates, adjustment of all
or most of the personal property of set
taxation of dividends of Wisconsin
corporations which had already paid a
tax on the same earnings.
"They also changed the division of
income tax collections from 70%o to
local units, 20%6 to counties and
1920 to the state, to 1920 to localities,
1920 to counties and 5000 to the State.
By this last provision it will be seen
that the state would take nearly all
the increase ignoring the fact that the
states income is already large enough
to permit it to pay out more to the
counties, towns and cities than the
direct tax it no wimposes.
"The tax problem in Wisconsin is q
local problem and any bill which over
looks this fact is fatal to our future
welfare On the other hand a state
tax policy is of vital interest to all
our people in agriculture, industry and
commerce because each is dependent
on the other.
IL OSGllo W NC ass uIlSu IllaI IhO 1dA LII
ers tax burden is the greatest. The
Tax Commission reports otherwise.
Wisconsin industry resists the in
crease of state income taxes from the
standpoint Of business facts and in
sists that these facts must be consid-
cred. Because of the war the Nation
al government has levied on business
an immense emergency tax burden
which must be carried. Add to these
the larger local taxes and state in
come taxes, we have a total which is
very substantial item in business
overhead.
"The larger industries of our state
sell over 900 Of their products be-
yond our state borders and in COM
petition with industries in other states
where manufacturing costs and over
head spell the difference between sue
cess and failure.
"When industry locates its factor
les, it gravitates to the place of low
est costs. 1t will not go where it is
not wanted and where restrictions i'm
posed by statue are too severe. That's
the proposition Wisconsin is facing
COudy. Already w lSCOHSlH lanes 1IOHi
industry a much heavier tax toll than
any other state in the Union.
''Is it sound to adopt policy of
further increased levies at least un-
til other states show disposition to
follow our example?
Not as High Elsewhere.
"The opponents of higher state in
come taxes declare that per capita
tax rates are just as high in other
industrial states. This statement
means nothing as taxes are not i'm
posed so much per head. It's the dis
tribution that counts. On that basis
industry pays larger percent of tax
burdens in Wisconsin than in any 9TH
er state surrounding US.
"The Tax Commission at the request
Of the 1928 legislature made an in
vestigation of comparative taxes in
Wisconsin and adjacent states. The
results of this investigation, referred
to in the 1923 Blue Book, reinforce
the statement of Wisconsin's higher
industrial taxes as the following ia
BILE clearly shows: