Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-02-24
State and Local Taxation.

. State and Local Taxation
REPORT or TIE SEw YoRK COMMISSIONERS.
. The report Of the special commission ap'
pointed by Gov. Hoffman of New York to in
vestigate the subject of taxation was sent to
= the Legislature Of that State on Friday last.
1t makes volume of one hundred and sixty
n pages. The New Y ork journals publish alb
stracts from which we CLEAN It's main features.
The report is understood to be the work Of
Hon. David A. Wells, who was at the head of
;. the commission and from the weight attached
nd to his views, as well as from the intrinsic in
es, terest Of the subject, which is 50 largely occu-
Ik pying the attention Of the citizens Of our
A. state, some statement Of results reached will
ng be of interest and value to our readers.
l'- Mr.. Wells shows that State or municipal
nc taxation Is now in all the States unsystematic,
needlesely interfering with industry uncertain
- OF collection, in many cases oppressive. The
~ irregularities in the rules for the valuation Of
= property are so great and so extreme that the
4. word chaotic is the only term that properly
h eharaeterizes the systems or the practice
u The facts and figures which illustrate this
state OF things are very interesting. He con-
P siders that the Massachusetts system is the
: best one. In that State the real estate is
e assessed at It's fair value, and Indebtedness is
not allowed to offset tangible property; the
only allowance is that debts due NAV be de-
Quoted from, or Offset, debts due 10 a person.
In discussing remedies, Mr.. Wells main
tains with obvious force, that the end to be at
tanned is equality and certainty in assessment
and collection.
1t is an error to assume that all descriptions |
Of property should be subjected to taxation in
order to insure equality and uniformity. On
the contrary, all experience has shown--none I
better than that Of the United States-that
the more - concrete SO and the less dTfTased
system Of taxation can be made. the better
Tor the people, provided only that i: shall act
equally and uniformly on all property Of the
sane kind. or upon all persons owning the
same class of property within the State. In
the attempt 10 better the state Of things. two
/ courses alone seem cren FOR adoption. FIRST.
/ 20 attempt to amend and strengthen tt pre-
sent system. Second, 20 construct a new
/ system.
Under the first branch of the subject.
Mr.Wells shows, thst in New York. as in. Yer
mont. the law fails, plain and explicit as it
Is because of faulty administration. The
remedy must touch the administration and
make it more effective. In the opinie n Of
the Commission, this can be done onl ? by
the creation Of some board Of central au hor-
lty, either commissioner Of taxes or a card
Of commissioners, whose tenureof Office sh ouli
be made rs permanent and as far rem ,7ed
iroa Iar,isab influences as pos-ibIe.and u rho,
clothed with all proper authority. and sup
ported by the law officers Of tie State. 81 lud
be required TO practically enforce the ]. We.
by providing for revaluati5ns Of real pror srtv
when the same are evidently delective, and
by prosecuting. TO the full extent Of the aw.
alb dereIctious Of duty on the part Of The
assessors.
lie maintains that there Is no prac icsl
difficulty in the valuation Of real estate q its
fair value, as is often claimed. It is all es-
sential feature in the Massachusetts, sys ssm.
and is carried out al; least IN Boston. It has
been adopted in Philadelphia and CHI cago
and works well. TIE case Of Philadelphia
also demonstrates The advantage resulting Il
from central board for revision and c.,r-ec
ton The valuations have increased, but j
this has not retarded Improvement. let then d
the real estate ne assessed at Its fair value Il
The other measures o. reform recommended d
are that the attempt to levy general tax P
upon personal property be abandoncd-all tie oi
leading commercial nations On the globe. u
except tie United States, have abandoned IN
the attempt TO levy q dircc, tax on personal cl
property in the possession of an Individual Sd
that redemption Of indebtedness from tax
alton be aband1neI; that the multiplication
'foaths as a security be abandoned; that the
.a1Etion Of mortgages upon landed property =
'e given up. because it prevents the l5aning :.
IF money On the best Of all securities, and %
iuves capital from the State.
In The way OF suggestion Of new -,
ys;en, Nj Wells offers two outline codes nj
Intended to Limit taxation upon pc ,sonal b.
7oPerty to the capital, shares. and pro- ~
Is Of the corporations doing local busi- =
ess wholly within the Safe and not a fected :
Ike railroads. life Insurance companies ard vs.
manufacturing companies, BY composition : :.
ON beyond its jurisdiction and maxim > all 80
-her personal property free. The fnt or
lese provides that the capital stock and ~
ropert5 Of any trust company, ferry, plank va
'ad OF turnpike company, savings bank. in -
france company or bank. and the shares IN nc
ieh banks, shall be taxed as at present: md aeI
cry private banker shall be taxed On his Ion
Iitai employed, and on no less sum than gov
e-iourth Of his average deposits. tha, no reg
her personal property shall be taxed. Al con
n1s shall be assessed a: one-half Of their o'1'
lue and all buildings at their full value. Don
The second outline code provides that the iFu7
npanies named in the previous &C De shall hoiO
taxed as heretofore. except that su oh com seer
MES may deduct from the total o their ''e'
1ita and resers the assessed value of their % d
j estate. Occupiers Of real eft ate. as ne
neFs or tenants, and not as dodgers. are TO 'iie
assessed sum equal to three tin es the zen
lual rental value Of the premises. I'll is sum 70 j
BE added to their personal assessplen t. and rep
tax upon 1t TO be collected in thu, same o'''
inner rs other personal taxes. But no '9''
ar personal property shall be ia zed. ahce
.hese are the main features Of the Re port. Dom
some of the facts and figures given in it SION
shall aiiude again. win
an el
liter reading the debate in the Senate on q pei
Legislative appropriation bill on Frids7, will.
question must occur to a goo / many pso- vote
whether the Senate intends to discuss the l5.lt
lie question ofthe origin an, 1 causes ortbe than
at each convenient oppor unity during oppo,
years Of Senate Blair's term Even
ice. The honorable Ser a.or ircrn Mis- revolt
appears 70 have come to Washington eondi
his single purpose, but rthe Senate has tains
IN its mind TO fllIav his lead. a new the ?
formidable danger tire ltens the country. Tn
we should like to b: prepared for it. the a
e seemed no y eason " " The amendment ming
e on! prop ,sed by 81 majors Sawyer and ture