The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-02-19
'IRST 'SKRMISH
OVER TAX BILLS
Eight Hundred Wisconsin
People Attend Hearing
On Proposed Bill.
lANY VOICE PROTEST

Madison, NlS.-Ine UESL SAAAlhlSh
wer the administration income tax
ill, now certain to be the leading
ssue Of the 1925 session of the Wis
onsin legislature, is over. while a
rowd of 800, generally demonstrative,
istened, friends and foes Of the meas
re FLASHED in its first public hearing
efore the senate and assembly COM
aittees on taxation.
sour tax problem is local and not
Eate,a +. H. Clausen, Horizon, former
resident of the Wisconsin Manufact-
rers' association, declared yesterday
fternoon in outlining objections Of
manufacturers and business men of
he state to the bill. Relief as far
$ state taxes are concerned is not
eeded, Clausen said, because the large
Increase in general property taxation
las been due to county and local
expenditures.
Clausen argued that the state col
kcts more than $14,000,00O from rail-
Dad companies, insurance companies,
nd from inheritance leyies and that
does not need the 100000 addi-
ional revenue contemplated in the
lew tax bill. The mill taxes, for
which the bill would substitute the
increased revenue from incomes, are
e-distributed to the localities for the
nost part, Clausen said.
Clausen drew heavy applause from
he protesting delegations at every
Joint he made until Chairman 0. H..
Johnson of the senate taxation com
nittee, announced that such demon
trations were delaying the hearing
nd could not be permitted.
Governors Lawyer Defends.
The tax commission, which has as
umed the principal responsibility for
ne bill, was highly praised for its
'isinterested and impartial work by
-,nael B. Olbrich, executive counsel
the governor, in a speech by the
Measure. Albrich pointed out that the
hree members of the commission
represented three administrations of
Iarying political faith. Thomas T..
lyons, the chairman, is Democrat
md appointed by Governor McGovern;
carroll D. Atwood is an appointee OF
he Philip administration, and Chas.
}. Rosa, the third member, was nam
Vi by Governor Blaine.
Olbrich defended the proposed re-
zeal of the personal property Offset
md the exemption of dividends, de-
daring those two provisions not only
made the tax ridiculous, but burden
those least able TO pay.s The eff
ct has favored the man who least
leeds favoring to the extent OF
$4,000, 600 in the last twelve years,
llbrich said.
When Olbrich asserted that the off
ct means an added tax load on agri~
ulture and should be repealed so rs
shift the burden, he was inter
upted by Assemblyman Henry W..
Itokes, Jefferson county,
won't this extra burden you want
o put on the merchants and manu-
Rcturers' he added into their prices to
he farmers 2" Stokes demanded amid
hearty outburst of applause.
"The applause indicates how we'll
mentioned are these gentlemen here
rho are opposing this bill" Olbrich
etorted. Further questions were
,alted by the expiration of Olbrich's
ime.
Commissioner Atwood explained in
tetail the provisions of the bill, and
lis talk was followed with presen-
alton of figures showing the amounts
Fhich the new measure would collect.
he bill will produce $13,000,000, a
aillion dollars more than the amount
f the present income levies and mill
axes it replaces. The commission
- exhibited statistics to show that
swaukee would gain $74S,6o5 by the
lew bill; Racine, $4s,es7, and Monroe
1885, while Kenosha would lose
7.2i2 and the town Of Lake, Milwau-
ZEE county $47,137, These isolated
Examples weEY taken as indicative of
imilar con .cunities throughout the
tate.
III. r. Blggs,4 Dane county income
ak assessor, and John H. Lennhouts,
assessor for Milwaukee county, both
defended the bill.
Eve don't tax business in nearly as
many forms as do other states" Briggs
aid, and Leenhouts sharply criticised
BUSINESS men "who have gone around
practically blackmailing the state of
Wisconsin" Excepting the surtaxes
here has not been general increase
income taxes since the law was
irst adopted, Leenhouts said.
Edward Forth, representing the
Milwaukee real estate board, urged re-
zeal of the personal property Offset,
tut he suggested that the income
AK rates should be reduced in the
lame amount.