Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-06-25
Taxes Soar as Result
Of Political BiCkering
ABOUT TO CLOSE AFTER LONG
SESSION or BITTERNESS AND
LITTLE LEGISLATION

The Wisconsin Legislature is about
TO close its deliberations after a long
session marked by much factional bit,
terness and little legislation which
will prove of any real benefit to the
people of the state.
1t is not surprising that the present
Legislature has been unable to accom-
plish anything real in the way of re-
ducing the burden of the cost of gov
eminent upon the public 1t got off
ON the wrong foot and never succeed
ed in getting back into step with the
rest OF the country in the movement
which has been under way to bring
governmental costs back to a sensible
basis
Instead of endeavoring to find
means Of reducing taxes by cutting
expenditures, or introducing better
methods of government, the session
began by attempting to find new
sources of revenue, and by revision
of the state income tax law based up
on the theory that taxation burdens
can be reduced by shifting burdens
and adding more to the load.
The closing days have been marked
by Investigations, largely of political
nature, in which both factions wed in
attempting to put the others in bad
light before the public.
In the scramble to serve personal
ambitions, public welfare has been
forgotten and it has been impossible
to consider proposals which might
have been of lasting benefit The ap.
preparations will exceed those of two
years ago, and additional taxes will
make up for the added expenditures.
| trust that the next Wisconsin Leg
islature will have a different view,
point and will go into it's work on a
nonfactional and nonpartisan basis
with tho idea of serving the people
of the state, and will not permit itself
to become a battle-ground upon which
will be fought out personal difference
anu ShlIuuISuGS.
The public is not vitality conceane
in disputes between public officials
except as these disputes reveal mis-
government and corruption in office.
Investigations and resolutions intro
duced as part of factional differen.
ces are not likely to be of any perma-
nent value. The citizens generally con
clude that they are a case of the pot
calling the kettle black, and in many
cases this assumption is a correct one
| have no doubt that most of the
members of the Wisconsin Senate and
Assembly are earnestly DESTROYS of
serving their constituents. 1t is too
much to expect of ordinary human be.
ings that when bitter factionalism de.
velops that all matters can be consid-
cred purely upon merit basis. The
greatest weakness of the present AS
sembly has been this tendency to per
NIT factiOnal alignments to control the
votes regardless of the merit of the
questions involved.
Wisconsin needs tax reform 1t
needs more economical government,
including some far-reaching consolida-
tions of boards, bureaus and commits
sions. 1t needs a budget system with
teeth in it which will avoid some of
the lovrolling and trading done on the
appropriation bills. These reforms are
not partisan, as | have stated, and
they are considered from factional
viewpoint.
The entire country is undergoing an
adjustment of conditions to meet the
situation which has followed the
world war. The Federal government
has led the way in economy by the
establishment of a strict budget sys
tenn and by carrying out a stern and
definite policy of reducing expendi-
lures and taxes. Federal taxes are rap
idly decreasing despite the, huge war
debt, and further reductions in both
expenditures and taxes are promised
in the next two years.
States are generally following the
program of the federal government.
1t is not necessary to go farther than
the neighboring state of Iowa to find
a practical example. In 1924 the Iowa
Legislature enacted comprehensive
budget law. A state director of the
budget was provided, who was given
the authority to prepare and present
to the Legislature recommendations
upon the appropriations for all state
departments. AS result Iowa legisla,
tive appropriations were greatly re
duced and the state tax levy cut down
by more than two mills, without ham.
pering the legitimate activity of any
state department.