LOW INCOME TAXPAYERS TO BEAR BURDEN OF GOP TAX AGENCY 'ECONOMIES'
Low Income Taxpayers To Bear Burden of GOP Tax Agency 'Economies Heil's 'Defense* Ignores, Loss of Millions of Dollars wrHILE Gov. Heil sought W desperately last week to convince the state that...
...Today taxpayers in La Crosse, Merrill, wausau, Stevens Point, Marinette, Superior and hundreds of smaller towns and villages must travel 75 to 140 miles to the nearest office | in which their files are located in order to discuss their tax problems.' I "Besides the facts mentioned by | Mount, it must be remembered that the remaining offices will be so overburdened that they can give practically no assistance to the taxpayer who needs help with his return...
...According to Riley, the $46,729 represents the total net assets of the Buckman company, after the deduction of approximately $9,700 in trustee, attorney and bankruptcy fees...
...Chief business of the convention will be the adoption of a platform for the 1940 campaign and the endorsement of candidates for state and congressional office...
...In its first blast at Republican "re- j organization" last week, the Wisconsin State Employes association pointed out that "for every dollar saved in auditors' salaries, they throw away $10 in taxes legally owed to the state...
...Receipts of the new issue will be used to retire a $4,947,000 par value 7 per cent cumulative preferred issue now outstanding or to reimburse the company's treasury for plant extensions...
...In a statement analyzing this phase of the Republican policy, Roy E. Ku-bista...
...Such assistance must be conveniently ac-i cessible at all times so that the ex-[ pense of getting it will not exceed the amount of tax involved...
...Yet the penalties provided for violations are extremely severe and costly,' Herbert Mount pointed out recently...
...This week, in another analysis of the Republican administration's juggling of the tax department, the association showed that reduction in the number of branch offices will work a severe hardship on low income taxpayers...
...Members of the executive board said they expected to have well-known liberal leaders address the convention...
...Heil sought W desperately last week to convince the state that he was achieving "economies" in the state tax department, fresh disclosures revealed that j the "economy" reorganization is placing new and expensive burdens on taxpayers in the lower income brackets...
...PSC Approves New$5,000,000 'Phone Issue THE slate public service commission, dominated by Republican appointees, last week authorized the Wisconsin Telephone Co...
...The small taxpayer could not in most instances afford the fees of I such experts, and even if they could ] the fees might be more than the tax itself...
...Principal creditors are the Continental Service Co...
...Harold M. Groves, University of Wisocnsin economist, is chairman of the FLPF executive board...
...In a letter and release which were sent out at state expense to every paper in Wisconsin, Heil claimed that his administration was saving more than $100,000 a year as a result of reduction of branch income tax offices and department personnel throughout the state...
...According to official figures of the tax commission, on June 30, 1938...
...and the General Carpet Co., both Buckman subsidiary companies, which will receive more than 75 per cent of the total liquidating dividend, it was said...
...Much of the service which was rendered by these discontinued offices consisted of advice to taxpayers concerning the very complicated income tax laws of the state...
...Daniel W. Hoan...
...Creditors of Buckman Co...
...Prof...
...Mount, a prominent Milwaukee attorney, was formerly a member ,of the Tax Commission...
...Big taxpayers could hire high-priced tax lawyers to make out their returns...
...the association's executive secretary said: "Eight income tax offices located at strategic points throughout the state were discontinued," the statement points out...
...these offices were handling tax returns and giving service to 194,-327 people...
...Riley announced a liquidating dividend of 5 258 cents on the dollar and said the money is to be turned over to creditors within the next 10 days...
...The possible appeal had been the last barrier to % liquidation of the Buckman assets...
...The huge telephone utility now has $40,000,000 in common stock outstanding...
...Appleton Scene of FLPF Meet on June 22, 23 Daniel Hoan to Deliver Keynote Speech to Group THE Wisconsin Farmer-Labor-Pro-gressive federation will hold its biennial convention at Appleton June 22 and 23, the federation's executive board decided last weekend...
...Creditors to whom the dividend will be paid had claims totalling $889,607 against the Buckman company...
...Consequently," Mount continued, 'it has always been deemed a matter of ordinary fairness and good administration to give assistance to income taxpayers in the lower brackets...
...to issue $5,000,000 in new common stock...
...The income tax law is, and always has been, an intricate, technical subject...
...Obviously, it was the taxpayer in the lower brackets who benefited most from this essential service...
...Riley ordered the distribution of assets today after Maurice B. Pasch, attorney for John Landis, Chicago had announced that Landis would not appeal from a ruling of Riley rejecting a claim or Landis involving left-over assets of the Buckman firm...
...Get $46,729 Miles C. Riley, referee in bankruptcy, last week ordered distribution of $4G,729 to creditors Of the bankrupt B. E. Buckman & Co...
...Heil, however, failed to mention the fact that as a result of his "economy" program, the state will lose millions of dollars in tax revenues from wealthy individuals and corporations whose tax returns will no longer be subjected to the detailed auditing of the past...
...who was Milwaukee's nationally famed mayor for 24 years until his defeat last month, will deliver the keynote address...
Vol. 10 • May 1940 • No. 19
