Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1914 — MORE EQUAL TAX SYSTEM FAVORED [ARTICLE]

MORE EQUAL TAX SYSTEM FAVORED

Resolutions Favoring Abolition oi General Property Passed by Tax Association. Indianapolis, Dec. 3.—Resolutions favoring the abolition of the general property tax; the classification of real estate and personal property for taxation purposes; legislation that would make Intangible property bear its share of the burden, and a law that all public utility franchises be placed on the tax duplicates, were reported before the conference of the Indiana Tax association at the closing session yesterday afternoon In the Claypool hotel. Methods pursued other states in gradually eliminating the general property tax, featured the meet ing. It was shown how the income tax law, special taxes on corporations and licenses and fees, and a better system in listing tangible property in certain states have lessened the burden which has, been borne almost exclusively by real estate ,

*. The resolution favoring the taxing of franchises, which was offered by the Mishawaka Chamber of Commerce and introduced by Isaac K. Parks, a delegate to the conference, follows:

“Resolved, That this conference recommend all taxing officials in localities where franchises have been granted, give earnest study to franchise values, to the end that all public utility franchises he placed on the tax duplicates. “We recommend that the Indiana legislature adopt such necessary laws or amendment to existing law®, effectually to tax street railway franchises by placing such franchises on the tax duplicates as a separate item. . “We recommend that' all franchise taxes, when collected, shall be returned to the locality granting the franchise."

Prof. John L. Coulter, of the U. S. census bureau, explained how the government has gathered statistics to learn the trend of taxation principles. He said the figures showed the per capita cost of maintaining the government has increased 14 per ceift in the last ten years; that the expenditures in the -forty-eight states have increased 105 per cent or 72 per cent increase per capita during a like period, and that in city government the increase in, per cap ita Cost has been 46 per cent The cost of running the government in 1903 was $1,775,006,000, he said, while in 1913' it was $3,000,000,000. In Indiana he showed the per capita cost of running state government had increased-from $1.91 to $2.92 in ten years, but declared this is low in comparison with some -states. He said the government had not taken up the question of comparing the relative value of a dollar now with that of ten years 'ago.*

Xmas presents for the whole family. We have a large assortment of all articles that make nice Xmas present®, at Rowles & Parker’s.