Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1899 — A TAX-RIDDEN STATE. [ARTICLE]

A TAX-RIDDEN STATE.

Under the above head the Chicago Record of last Satuiday published the following special from Anderson, Indiana: From almost every county in the state comes the wail against excessive tax burdens and a general demand for reduction not only in county expenses, but also in state expenditures. During recent years the Indiana tax laws have been pointed to by other states as examples of perfection. This, it is claimed, has made the state officials overzealojis in perfecting this “perfect system." Equalization in taxation and cash valuation assessment has been one of Gov. Mount's hobbies. As a result Indiana is able to show, as heretofore, the lowest tax rate, but Lack of it lies cash valuation appraisements. State meetings of assessors have been held and then district conferences followed and the assessments have been boosted from about 65 per cent to about JM) per cent, on face valuation. Many counties insist that ’’paper" be turned in at its face value. ■> County and state expenses have meanwhile increased until in some sections of the state taxpayers are paying over -1 per cent, on cash valuation. People who have money loaned declare it is an injustice when their paper is assessed at face value ami 4 per cent, of it is demanded by the tax boards. The farmer also suffers when his land is assessed at 90 per cent. Merchants who have perishable stocks have to pay on an 85 per cent, valuation. The difference between the Indiana and Illinois methods can be ‘ shown by the total assessed valuation of the two states for the year of 1898. There was a difference of almost one-fourth, Illinois being the lowest assessed. The Illinois totals not only include a larger acreage of land, a larger country population, but also the wealth of Chicago. Many Indiana money loaners have moved into Illinois during the last year and are turning their holdings in for assessment there. • An idea of the radical change in policy in Indiana can be shown by a comparison between the taxes levied for the years 1890 and 1895. The amount of stale and local taxes collected for the tear 1895 was $19,574,630.60. In 1890 it was

$14,511,146.38. This was an increase of ss.otw.4 v 4 22. or over $1,000,000 a year. It has kept up at that rate for the last four years. For these five years the gain was ; 34.89 per cent. or over one-third, la the last ten years it will fall not .short of a 50 per cent. gain. In the five years considered the state taxes increased $1,586,426.31. or 31.4 per cent, the local taxes increased 68,6 per cent of the total increase. The authorities have failed to reduce the rate of taxation. though the valuations were increasd in theseyears over 46 per cent, or about $400.00(1000. The total "new taxes'" placed on the tax duplicates of counties of Indiana show a wonderful increase. For the five years from l'' x l to 18S». inclusive, they amounted to $60,296,064.82. For the five years from 1886 to lb'.M). inclusive, it was $69,194,731.30. an increase of >7.89b.«»66.48. For the five years from 1891 to 18515, inclusive, it was $93,069,375.26. an increase of $24.874.643.’.(6 —more than enough to build twelve state houses as large as the Indiana building. The increase has been proportionate in the last four years. The tax valuation assessed in 1890 was about $16.91 on the •SI,OOO. In 1895 —in spite of over I $428,000,000, or 62 percent, being added to the tax duplicate—.the rate per SI,OOO had only fallen to $15.22. Since then it has increased until it now is almost S2O. In some cities —notably Rensselaer —the tax rate is $42 on the SI,OOO. The lowest it ranges is about sl2. j anti that only in few sections. Nine out of every ten cities in Indiana are paying nearer 3 percent, than 2 per cent, and fully 33 per cent, of them are paying nearer 4 than 2.spercent. The tax load has become too heavy, however, and is a serious handicap in every line of business. Besides this county, township, city and state burden many towns 'have adopted aggressive improvement policies. Brick and other pavements are being put down in i streets, municipal control is being j extended to public service plants and other special taxes are being levied. Many people in Indiana cities are paying from 6 to 10 per cent, total taxes today. Those who live on newly constructed paved streets built under the Baratt laws are without an exception paying 6 per cent total, which means they are turning over more in taxes than money is worth. The great question which the next general assembly will have to solve will be that of taxation. The high taxes in Indiana are largely

attributable to'the close political complexion of the state. Political leeches, are provided with jobs at public expense. Many cities have three tidies as large a force of police and firemen on pay roll as their municipalities demand.