New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-14
TO LESSEN THE BURDEN OF TAXES.
SOME SUGGESTIONS AS TO POINTS wHER1
CHANGE WOULD EQUALIzE OR TIGHTEN
THE WEIGHT

SOME SUGGESTIONS AS TO POINTS WHERE
CHANGE WOULD EQUALIzE OR TIGHTEN
THE WEIGHT
TO the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: The annual report Of the Controller Of the
state shows that Of the 81 63 7O4 90 collected for
the year ending September 30 1890. real estate pays
S1.71S01J - and personal property S3919,629 Ia
that real estate pays So per cent OF the State tax.
The Controller suggests certain measures equalizs
the tax between real estate and personal property, but
does not make any suggestions how the amount TO be
raised by taxes be reduced. There is good
why our State Prisons should not be self sup
porting II the 5000 cOnvicts should each earn 50
cents a day it would pay for their maintenance, the
expense the state incurs for their arrest, trial and
conviction, and the repairs of the prisons. Why
should the Commissioner Of the New Capitol receive
$500 year, almost as much as the United States
pays the Secretary of the Treasury Biennial sessions
Of our Legislature would save quarter Of million
year. And if all the appropriations made with.
out fav0rsm. and with the care good business firm
would take in conducting its business enterprises prob
ably half million more would be saved each year.
But for the present. will take the figures the Con.
troller furnishes with. The estimated appropria.
tons required for the expenses Of government and
for other purposes for the fiscal year beginning october
|, 1891 including S},5OO.000 for schools, amount TO
$3.50, 1906 81. From this We will dednct the sum
allowed for state prison expenses. 9o3395O. and IL
leaves So324 $50 g. How shall this amount be raised
that all kinds Of property shall pay Its just share
Last year the collateral inheritance tax, corporation tax
and some other items produced S3,O17,9oS %. The
Controller thinks there should be 100000 year col
lected from foreign banking capital instead of $685.
T2S "a. Add the difference, Sl46211 SO. TO the above
and we have 81, 264 2:0 "a. Deduct this from g..
24 356 81 and IL leaves So l6l 26 03 to provide for
There be no more Just and easy way to provide
for this than a direct inheritance tax. II would do
away with all real estate and personal
I'm IN
Grafton cities could not complain That they paid more
than their share Of state taxes, and the expense OF
state Assessors and many other expenses would be
saved In order to estimate the value Of the property
upon which such tax could be levied, 10 VIII De SAFE
to add per cent 70 the assessed value OF real estate
ard 10 deduct IL 900 100000 for the amount the real
estate may he mortgaged. The Controller thinks THAI
the personal property will amount To S3o00O0O,OOO.
Tile assessed value of real estate is S20o 23S3l 20
per cent added this makes So2i,17o9o2, ana OIL
600 600 600 for mortgages deducted would leave 49,
l22 9o49l3 the amount of the real ana personal
property Of the State. If we estimate generation AZ
thirty three years, then, an average, Si71'542o'S
would pay the tax each year This tax
would vary each year, as some years more
wealthy people would die than the average: SO 1t
might be necessary for the first two years to mako
the direct and collateral inheritance tax the same
per cent: after the surpu, had accumulated the
direct tax be reduced to or even per cent.
ON Sloo,Ji.o'1 . per cchV "o"'u P'"u"Ne $3.50
l3s o. Deduct from this the amount credited 10 ths
colstera inheritance tax of Slil7, 637 20, included
in the item above OF S3y0ls 95c %, ana II leaves
- / ~ 800 % as the amount Of dlrectinhertance
tax. This would pay the -, TO o. the oaancS
r,,,red as above stated, and leave surplus in the
treasury of T9os314 81, less the expenses Tor col
A, two thirds OF the freight transported through
the canal, comes from other states. seems tlat Jus
lice to our taxpayers requires that maintenance OF them
shoud be undertaken by the National Government, or
that there should be tolls imposed Sufficient for theaf
.u,lr, The balance Ot the state debt Is amply pro:
yidpd for By the amount of cash IN the treasury ana
the back taxes due the state from tile city OF New
Norl, There is a credit state Prisons OF goodl
manufactured and manufactured. sold ana not paid
for and cash amounting 10 ga. 244 So whch ~ seems
YEAR Those of our legislators who vote 70 increase
Tho amount Ia be raised from taxes over that OF lau
vaar or 10 run the state again In debt can hardly
exnect 10 receive the majority vote Of the farmers.
Millbrook, y. u, Feb. 20, leol. h!hsEED'