The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-12-24

aReE IOTm OF ROVeIHiueAI WcAb INV
effect, has decreased nearly $500 per
capita, the per capita cost in 1921
the last year under the old alder~
manic form Of government being
$27.7S.
City Is Using Less.
The report also shows that the city
is taking less of the taxpayers dollar
than in the past year, showing de-
crease of six per cent, while every
other department shows an increase
The state has taken the largest IN.
crease, this being 115 per cent, as
explained in detail in the letter pub
lished in full below.
The city's portion of the tax dollar
dropped from 45.2 cents to S5.2
cents while the states share jumped
from 4.5 cents to 1876 cents.
Mentions Tax Reduction.
The report also calls attention to
the reduction of one mill in the tax
rate despite the fact that most ex-
tensive public improvement program
is being carried on in the city, which
has not been in the least curtailed
to meet this reduction.
Accompanying the letter is also a
table showing the bonded indebted
ness of the city and how it is being
retired. The outstanding bonded in
debtedness is $2,775,00O, the greater
part OF it being school bond issues
for financing the large school build
ing program of Kenosha. Also i'm
cluded with the letter is chart
showing comparison of the per
capita cost Of government in Kenosha
from 1921 to 1924, all of which il re-
printed elsewhere on this page,
The letter reads as follows:
Regarding Your Taxes.
'You will probably find upon re-
ceiving your tax bill that you are
paying more tax this year than you
paid last year. This is due to the
following reasons. The state legisla-
ture changed the tax laws at the
last session and the law now requires
taht you pay more tax to the state
than you formerly paid. Last year
you we're privileged to offset your
personal property tax against your
income tax and paid whichever
amounted to the larger sum. The
state legislature took this privilege
away from you at the last session,
so you are now required to pay both
you= income and your personal props
erty tax. Then, too, last year you had
a homestead exemption which saved
you $3.50 in tax money. The state
legislature repealed this Homestead
Exemption law, taking this sxemp-
ton away from you.
"In order that you may sec juse
how the taxes are divided among the
state, county, city and schools the
following table is placed here. The
tabulation also shows you a compari-
son Of the division of taxes for the
years 1925 and 1926:
City, 1925, $1,017, 459.5S; 1925, $685.
1927; per cent of tax dollar, 1872.
decrease over last year go; schools,
1925, O,669.33; 1926, $1,O1O, 121.82:
per cent of tax dollar, 37.3; Increase
over last year, 209o; county, 1925,
387, 1873; 1925, $4O3, 166.1O; per cent
of tax dollar, 14.9; increase over last
year 496; state, 1925, $159, 464.39;
1926, 342,046.41; per cent Of tax doll
lar, 1850; increase over last year,
@AO pCL SOANs
''The above figures do not take into
consideration the state income sur
tax, which is collected by the city
of Kenosha and the entire amount
turned over to the state. Last year
this tax amounted to s149,952.33. This
year it will amount to $137,367.01.
at is interesting to note from this
data that of the taxes collected in
the city Of Kenosha the actual
amount of tax money the city will
receive in 1926 is $62, O61.S1 less than
it received in 1925. The city schools
will receive $169,452.4e more than
they received in 1925. The county
will receive from the city s16,004.57
more than it received in 1925. The
state will receive from the city $780,
582.02 more than it received in 1925,
which is equivalent to approximately
three mills Of the tax rate. This
shows you in very conclusive way
that the increase in taxes is not due
to any increased cost of your city
government, but that the greatest
portion Of this increase is going to
the state.
Division Of Tax Dollar.
Proportion To 1925 1925