The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-11-12
Views OF Others
TAX REMISSION FINE, BUT.

Santa Claus has come in advance to
the taxpayers of Wisconsin in the
guise of statement from Madison
that the state tax has been RENTED.
Now it wasn't large last year, about
$1.40 on the hundred, but of course, it
all counts up in the statement.
But after all Santa Claus has just
worked little trick on US, manipu-
lated by the powers that be- in the
state, because the joke is we have
paid the amount of this tax into the
states Golfers during the year in all
sorts of taxes, and now that the
treasury is overlooking, the governor
kindly tells US that, having paid in
enough money to have swollen SUR
plus. we don't have to pay in any
more. age
Simmered down to bed rock, the re-
mission of the, state tax amounts to
this: We, the taxpayers have been
taxed so heavily that the state
treasury has handsome balance, and
in view of that fact we are not to
pay any so-called state tax; in short
your money and my money was paid
cut to the state months ago. I If. there
was any interest to be obtained on it
or any other use by us taxpayers we
didn't have the benefit of it, because
we parted with the cash to the state.
Wouldn't it be whole lot fairer if we
as taxpayers could have kept that
money and had the use of it, and then
if a state tax was necessary lit could
have been paid. 1t is said the remis-
sion means that there is a two and
one-half million surplus in the. state
Golfers. Why the necessity to raise
all this money if it wasn't needed or
at least until it was found essential
to pay state expenses?
Many of our LaFollette friends are
very indignant when the claim is made
that Wisconsin taxes are too high, but
what other conclusion is to be reached
when the state has so much money
that it is virtually forced to hand
of the state tax?
And lest some of US forget in our
exuberance in thus saving few dol
lars, we have been paying gasoline
tax of two cents a gallon and this
counts up fairly fast even for the
lowly car with small fuel consump-
ton.
The tax remission is also pretty
good evidence that the administration
is quite confident the tax bill passed
at the last session will yield plenty
of revenue and probably considerable
to spare, or else there would not have
been such speed in giving us back
what we have already paid in.
This whole subject of taxes is fed
out to the public in such way that
they either fall for the deception or
are SO entangled in the labyrinth of
explanations that they give up the
problem in disgust. We see it on every
hand all the time. A Racine paper al
ludes to can amazingly low city tax
rate," but then goes on to explain
that the assessed valuation of Racine
will be so much higher that it neces-
sarily brings down the rate. In an
other article it is stated that the city
expenses are cut many thousands Of
dollars, but nothing is said about that
same amount being included in next
years budget to purchase buildings,
new equipment, etc. The taxpayer is
not interested in hairline explanations
of a city's expenses; what he mostly |
wants to know is the total amount and
what it is going to cost him in actual
dollars and cents. /
And the assessing of city on a
higher valuation plane brings up the
question of how much it will penalize |
the city where it is carried out when
it comes to an apportionment of the
tax burdens either in state or county,
since the system of valu-
alton is not uniform throughout the
state, or outside the cities.
Higher assessments always bring to
the minds of many people the fea-
that once having a high valuation and /
a consequent low tax rate, there will
be great temptation as time goes on
to keep on gradually raising the rate
until it comes back or nearly so to the
old rate.
But all said and done in the matter
of taxes each individual and firm will
know indisputably after Jan. /,
whether taxes will be more or less,
because the fact will be ascertained