The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-09-04
S53.72 IS COST
PER CAPITA HERE
Kcnosha's 1923 Expenses
We're S53.72 Per Capita
Says Report.
SHOWS IMPROVEMENTS

Per capita cost of city government
in Kenosha for the year ending De-
cember 81, 1923, was $53.72 according
to financial statistics made public by
the Department of Commerce in WASH
irgton and reaching Kenosha today.
The report shows that the total pay
ments for expenses, interest and out
laws for the fiscal year amounted to
S2.506. $50. The report is based on fig
.ures furnished by the city clerk OF
Kenosha.
No statistics were made public for
neiehboring cities, in Wisconsin and
for that reason no comparison of city
government costs can be made.
Of this total $1,315,728 represents
the expenses of operating the general
departments of the city government.
S187.S46 for expenses of operating the
public service enterprises, SloA.57O Tor
interest on debt, and $89S.336 for per-
manent improvements, including those
for public service enterprises.
In 1922 the total payments for the
city were s1,943,919, and in 1913 ST.
O90SO0 - per capita of $43.33 and
$3.50, respectively.
Total Revenue $2,333,247.
The total revenue receipts for 1928
were $2,33S,247, or $50 per capita.
This was S725,O03 more than the total
payments of the year exclusive OF the
payments for permanent improve
ments, but $173,333 less than the total
payments including those improve
ments.
These payments in excess of rev.
enue receipts were met from the pro-
ceeds of debt obligations. Property
taxes represented 77.5 per cent of the
total revenue for 1923, 62.7 per .a'1t
for 1922, and All per cent for 1918.
The increase in the amount of prop
erty taxes collected was 1858 per cart
from 1918 to 1922, and 33.S per cent
from 1922 20 1928. The per capita
property taxes were $3S.77 in 1923,
$30l5 in 1922, and $13.4o in 1913,
Public Service Earnings.
Earnings Of public service enter
~p4scs operated by the city represented
so per cent of the total revenue Cor
1929, IA per cent for 1922, and 9.3 per
,cent for 1918.
The net Indebtedness Funded and
floating debt, less sinking fund assetsi
on Dec 81, 1923, was s2,304 900, or
$49.3S per capita. In 1922 the per
capita debt was $39.9S, and in 1913
S2262.
For 1928 the assessed valuation of
property subject to ad valordem taxes
for city corporation was $60,95l,000.
The levy for all purposes for 1923 was
SIs65,O1T, of which $1,505,2S3, or S0.7
per cent, was levied for the city cor
poration $75,439, or 400, for the state,
and $2S4,295, or 1862 per cent, for the
county. The per capita tax Levy for
city, state, and county was $39.37.
The increase in per capita cost has
been made necessary in order that the
city, growing by leaps and bounds,
may keep up school facilities nd other
improvements. This per CAPITA cost
includes both the tax and the amounts
paid for public utilities services under
gthe control of the city.
II is probable that the costs per
capita were based on the government
census figures which are still the fig
sures of the 1920 census. This would
make great difference in a city which
has grown as rapidly as Kenosha in
the past few years.
While no federal government reports
eare available upon which a comparison
wit hother cities can be made, the da-
ia prepared by the Wisconsin tax COM
mission showing the per capita gen
eral property taexs for the year 1923
with other cities can be made, the da-
ing. For that portion Kenosha shows
a per capita tax of $44.S4, this not in
scluding some things included in the
federal report; in that same basis Mad
ison has per capita tax of $63.03;
Beloit $38.87; GAINESVILLE saba; Green
Bay $42.75; Racine $34.T7; Sheboygan
$685. Superior $40.93.
.Al'pof these last named figures would
be increased perceptibly if made to in
clude those items included in the fed
eral list.