The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-01-13
TAXATION IN MARYLAND.
Annual Report of Tax Commits
sioner Frank T. Shaw.

CIdIe ak COMMISSIONER 'hh"
sent his annual report TO Governor Brown
on Wednesday. In this he says:
The aggregate amount OF state taxes as
sessed upon corporations in this state for the
year 1893 was $;,40. 490.82. The taxes levied
upon corporations for the year 1898 exceed
those for 1891 by the sum of $66, 947.SS, and
those for 1889 by the sum of $40, l07.64.
The aggregate assessment of the banks and
other corporations on their shares of stock
and assets for the year 1898, amounted TO
the sum of 500, 1876 104. 80, an increase of $751;
324, T46.O5 over like assessment for the year
1891, and an increase of 81, 645, 800. A over
similar assessments for the year 1888.
In a former report directed the attention
of the last General Assembly to the fact that
savings banks and institutions in Maryland
are not subject by law TO any supervision by
the state, and suggested that they should BE-
surrounded by all the safeguards which Con
gress has so wisely provided for the security
of the public i'll its relations to the national
banking system, so far as such methods can
be utilized for the safety of these institutions
and the protection of their depostors. Inas-
much as my suggestion was not acted upon,
deem it my duty to repeat in part what then
said sThe fact that more than two-thirds
of the forty-three millions of dollars on de
posit in the savings banks of the state on the
LIST of January, 1893. was III two of these in
situations, suggests how appalling aud far
reaching would he the effect il either of them
should meet with disaster, whether from mis-
management or any other canse. and makes
the necessity for state surveillance so obvious
that no further or other argument is needed
for its support In advocating stale super
vision for these institutions, | am not prompt
ed by lack of confidence III the integrity or
ability of those who manage their affairs, or
even by suspicion that their management is
not the best, but by conviction that such
oversight will insure a continuance of correct
methods where they now exist, and beget
them where they are not now practiced.
AGGREGATE, BASIS OF TAXATION.
The assessed value of property in the state
liable to state taxation, exclusive of the stock
debts of the city of Baltimore for the year
1898, amounts to 1913, 100, 714.27. This sum
is obtained by adding to the assessed value of
real and personal property in the several coun
ties and the city of Baltimore $54, 044 ,473.27,
this being the remainder after deducting from
the aggregate assessed value of shares aud as
sets of corporations, which is 500, 1876, l0l 80.
the assessed value of the real property of cor.
porations, $33, 996, 270.32, it being included in
| the assessment furnished by the several coun.
lies and the city of Baltimore, and mortgages
held by Building Associations, and non taxa
bic securities held by corporations taxed
solely on their assets, amounting to ST., I55,-
36l.2l.
| The deposits in savings institutions are not
| included in the taxable basis, because the
/ tax on them is license and not direct tax
| and is measured by the amount of business
they transact; nor are the gross receipts of
railroads and other corporations included, for
/ the reason that the tax on them is special
| one, and they are so huctualing as to render
| them unreliable as a basis for purposes of
taxation But exclusive of these several
items, the basis of taxation for state purposes
for 1893, including the net assessment of cor
poration stock, exceeds that of 1891 by the
| sum of S25, 355, 1877. IA, as ascertained by a
proper comparison of the periods mentioned
| Thirteen of the twenty three counties eff the
state show an increase in their assessment for
the year 1893, and the remaining ten a slight
falling Off The taxable basis of Baltimore
| city shows an increase for the year 1893, over
| that for 1892, of s., 1863
REAssEssMEHT OF PROPERTY.
The changes in values which have occurred
since the last general assessment of property
| in this state are so decided as to cause much
inequality in the imposition of taxes, which is
source of popular discomfort.
am advised by his Excelency the Gov
ernor that to secure this result he will
! commend to your honorable body the imme
date passage o. bill providing alone for
the assessment and revaluation of all the
property in the state legally subject to tax
alton on the LIST day of June next, leaving the
| kind of property to be so assessed and sub
| iected to taxation to be determined by exist,
/ ing law or IA subsequent act. This course has
| the advantage of assuring a reassesssment, for
| which there is an almost universal demand,
| even though there should be irreconcilable
difference on the question OF taxation.
APPEALS FROM ASSESSMENTS.
In seventeen of thirty one appeals taken by
| corporations from the assessment OF the State
! Tax Commissioner in the year 1898 the as
! sessments BY the State Tax Commissioner
were affirmed, in thirteen they We're reduced,
and one is still pending at the time of this
report. The aggregate reduction was $3.50,
| I37. so, on which the state tax would have
| been 81, la4.47.
] In eight of the twenty -siX taken in 1892 the
assessments by the State Tax Commissioner
were affirmed, and in the remaining eighteen
| the assessments were reduced to the extent
of 1859, 203. 81 on which the state tax would
have been $655.S4.
| beg to renew my recommendation of two
years ago, that provision be made by law for
an appeal by the state in any case when it is
discovered that the assessment is lower than
| the facts in the case may warrant. IL may
occur that after an assessment has been made
| and returned to the Comptroller further in
| formation may be obtained showing that the
assessment is inadequate, and in such case, il
an appeal be authorized as suggested, no in
/ Justice need be done the state and local au-
I thorities because of the error, as it can be
corrected by a subsequent determination by
the Board of Appeal.
RECEIPTS AND TAXES.
| The taxable value of corporate property
\ held or own in each of the several counties
and the city of Baltimore for the year 1893,
including real property and the net value Of
shares of stock after the assessed value of the
real property aud the credits allowed by law
have been deducted, has increased since 1891
$l4, 4S3 04G Al, of which 50, 1897 sol. AZ should
be credited to Baltimore city, 81, l64 ,475 to
Baltimore county, and the remainder to AL
| legany, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Cecil Charles,
Dorchester, Frederick, Hartford, Howard,
/ Kent, Montgomery St. Marys, Somerset,
| Talbot. Washington, Wicomico and Worces-
! ter counties.
The gross receipts of electric light and
/ electric construction companies and foreign
| guano, phosphate or fertilizer companies for
the year ended January 81, 1898, as have
made report to the State Tax Commissioner,
| is S47S, 564 80, and the amount OF the tax
levied thereon is S2,393S2, being 81, 069. p
more than was received from like source in
the year 1891.
The gross receipts of the several railroad
companies for the year ended January 81,
1898, is SIS, $50, 458. Al, and the amount ofthe
tax levied thereon is Sl25, $780, %, an increase
of SIG, 252. so over the tax imposed on the
! gross receipts of railroad companies for the
! year 1891.
/ SOME SUGGESTIONS.
4 The tax upon the gross receipts of telegraph
! companies should be increased to two per
centum, thus making it equal to the existing
rate upon the gross receipts of telephone
/ companies There is so much similarity in
\ the means employed by these two industries
! in the cnndncf off their hn siness thai the cost