Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 203, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1916 — TAX ON STREET ADVERTISING [ARTICLE]

TAX ON STREET ADVERTISING

How They Do Things In France to Make and Keep Their Cities Beautiful. The imposition of a tax on mural advertisements, which Mr. McKenna is reported to be considering, has produced satisfactory financial results for many years past in France, the London Chronicle states. Not a bill can be displayed on any boarding or in any window in that country without having affixed to it an inland revenue stamp costing at least a penny. Theatrical posters, cards announcing apartments to let, and bills offering rewards for recovery of lost dogs all come under the same law. On printed matter the stamps are usually attached before printing. Frequent inspection renders evasion difficult. In this connection our French neighbors put into operation, just over three years ago, another excellent idea which might well be adopted in this country, is the plan adopted to get rid of the hideous advertising boardings which then desecrated so many of the national beauty spots. A bill was brought in proposing a tax of $lO a square yard per annum on all boardings under six yards square, S2O a yard up to 10 yards, S4O up to 20, and $l5O on those above 20. If two separate advertisements appeared on the same boarding, the tax was doubled; if three, trebled, and so on. The bill was introduced solely on artistic grounds and was passed with thq enormous majority of 500 votes to 3.