Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-06-13
Tinkering the Tax Laws.

At a recent meeting of the Revenue
Commission Auditor-General McCamant
presented fo- consideration revenue bill
which be thought would raise about four
and a half million dollars of additional
taxes for county purposes. He was of the
opinion that about million dollars might
be raised By levying two-mill tax on
mortgages and moneys due on securities
and accounts bearing interest, on public
loans of various kinds and on all other
moneyed capital in the hands of individual
citizens Of the State. He thought that
81, 900, 600 or 81, 500, 900 might be raised By
tax of eight mills on capital in excess OF
81 900 employed in mercantile or COM
mercial pursuits and on sales made in ex-
cess of 1000 by butchers, drovers and
dealers in live stock. He proposed to levy
ten-mill tax on the gross earnings oil
private bankers, brokers and unincorpor-
ated banks and all sum realized from bust
ness investments. He thought this section
of his proposed bill would bring in about
million dollars.
Judging from the past, it isn't probable
that the next legislature will pay much at
tention to the propositions of the Revenue
Commission, whatever they may be. In
deed, there is a growing suspicion that
Revenue Commissions are set on foot
mainly to quiet the popular demand for re-
lief from the present Unequal taxation and
not with any serious intention of effecting
Substantial reform of the tax laws. II
the present Commission was created for
that end, it seems in fair way to carry
out it's purpose. Certainly it has done
nothing so far looking toward any adequate
relief for the overburdened local tax payers.
The constitution of the State expressly
provides that all taxes shall be uniform up
| on tie same class of property within the
| territorial limits of the authority levying
the tax IL is notorious that this pro-
| vision of the constitution has not been
| observed A vast amount Of real property
escapes local taxation, and the total tar
paid by its holders amounts to but little
more than a tenth of the tax paid by the
holders of other real estate. If there is any
good reason why the property of wealthy
business corporations should be practically
exempted from taxation at the expense o
local property holders we have yet to Learn
it. But this is precisely what is done By
present inequitable tax laws. And thu
Revenue Commission proposes to relieve
the local tax payer by little more tinker
ing of our present complicated revenue
system so as to levy various rates on busi
ness investments and intangible credits al
home and abroad!
This won't do. 1t isn't what the tax
payers want nor what they have right tt
demand. What they do want is strict
observance of the constitution, which ought
to be binding on Legislatures as well as on
all the rest of U.s. The spirit and the letter
| of the constitution call for equal taxation,
| and to secure equal taxation it is only nee
essary to tax all real and personal property
for all purposes, general and local,
wherever found within the State. 1t isn't
worth while to try to amuse and bam-
boozle the local tax payers with any more
petty tinkering of the tax laws, for they
understand that what is needed is a radical
and sweeping reform Of our present op-
pressive and unequal revenue system
Wellsboro 1gitator.