Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 17, Number 1, DeMotte, Jasper County, 22 November 1946 — Agriculture Must Be Saved By Legislature [ARTICLE]

Agriculture Must Be Saved By Legislature

Counties containing -the larger cities of the state face bankruptcy of the rural areas due to school costs of the suburban dweller. J Agriculture in these areas cannot survive the growing tax load. This condition comes about because people employed in the cities are moving outside of the corpora- , tion limits to rear their families. “Fortune" magazine ■ says this movement has only started, as a recent survey discloses 61.8 per cent of the people in the cities desire to live outside of the corporation limits. It therefore concludes that people will move to such rural areas as soon as building is pos- ' sible. When this happens, taxes on Agriculture will become prohibitive and will destroy the econmy of farming unless a change in the property tax structure is made immediately. For example: Tax per acre now in Marion County, where there are more children per acre, is $2.68; in Hendricks County, adjacent, where the larid and markets are exactly the same, the tax is only $.77 per acre.' Comparing the taxes paid by a farmer in Marion county, and an industrial worker who lives in the rural area, both of whom make $3,000 a year, the farmer pays $804.00 annually while the industrial worker pays sl-8.50. There is no reason why like incomes should not pay equal taxes tot support schools. To correct the presen tax inequity and save agriculture, two bills should be introduced and passed in the next session of the Legislature. 1. A bill for an act repealing the authority to levy on all property within the counties, containir g 35,000 or more, for local school purposes. 2. A bill for an act whereby the ’« county would raise money for the’, support of the schools by a withholding tax on personal incomes, with no change in the present school administration. Miss Biddy Wright is ot tha; sick list.