Biography/History

Created by Chapter 468, Laws of 1955, the Committee to Study Revenue Sources was authorized to study the long-range financial needs of the state and its subdivisions, study major sources of revenue, and present a definite program of tax policy calculated to provide an adequate revenue for both the state and its subdivisions. The committee was attached to the Joint Legislative Council for administrative purposes only.

The research advisory group was created by the above committee to act in a research capacity. The records of the Advisory Group were transferred to the State Archives with the files of the Commissioner of Taxation (accession 1973/90). Harry W. Harder, the Tax Commissioner during this period, served on the advisory committee, as did the former Commissioner of Taxation, Arthur C. Wegner, who served on the advisory committee as a citizen member.

Committee Members:

Frederic Sammond

Milwaukee, public member, chairman

A. R. Seass

Two Rivers, public member, vice chairman

Harry F. Franke and Frank E. Panzer

state senators

Warren A. Grady, Robert T. Huber and Alfred R. Ludvigsen

state assemblymen

Edward Johnson, Madison; A. J. Thelen, Madison; and Arnold Zander, Madison

public members

Research Advisory Group Members:

C. K. Alexander

Research Director, Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, Madison

Walter B. Gerken

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee

Norman N. Gill

Executive Director, Citizens' Governmental Research Bureau, Inc., Milwaukee

Harold M. Groves

Professor, Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Harry W. Harder

Commissioner, Department of Taxation, Madison

W. D. Knight

Director, Bureau of Business of Research & Service, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Richard R. Teschner

Lines, Spooner & Quarles, Milwaukee

Gordon G. Volz

Ronald Mattox and Associates, Madison

Arthur E. Wegner

Vice-President, American Exchange Bank, Madison