The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-08
TAXATION.
Many Alterations Of Laws
Suggested.
An Act to Create Office Of
Tax Commissioner.
Difference of Opinion as to What
Shall BE Exempt.


merous amendments OF old that, II enact
ed, would add materially to the revenue
OF the State and cause a corresponding
amount OF dissatisfaction among property
holders over whom the assessors would
have more control than is now author
lied.
The printed report Is not altogether
unanimous, comprising as 1t does, ma
lority report and two minority reports.
The point OF difference among the men,
bers is in relation to exemption.
Henry L. Root, chairman, with william
Z. Buffun and Alfred ". Kenyon consti-
tute the majority. They report:
We believe that property of great and
increasing value has been and Is exempt
ed from taxation by general and special
acts, which should bear its portion OF
the burden of taxation.
The only property which, In our opin-
ion, Is entitled to exemption from taxa
tion is public property (including public
schools and public libraries), property
devoted wholly to public charities, and
burial grounds.
We recommend, therefore, that the pres:
ent law regarding exemptions from taxa
tion be amended SO as TO include only the
above-named classes OF property.
Representative Philippe Boucher takes
exceptions to that and would recommend
that the present law regarding exemption
be amended only by sections and B of
chapter "A which authorize town councils
to exempt manufacturing corporations
from taxation for ten years.
Senstor j. 4. b. Woods makes the Sec
ond minority statement so far as exemp-
tion Is concerned and recommends that
church property enjoy the same privi-
leges as afforded by the present law.
Accompanying the majority report is
bill for an act In amendment OF chapter
"A "of property liable 10 and exempt from
taxation" The amendment conaists of
the repeal of sections and above men,
toned and the omission of churches and
libraries, other than free libraries, from
the enumeration of exempted property.
ou ait uther points and they are many,
the five members OF the committee are
unanimous.
A UNIFORM SYSTEM.
In the first place they present bill In
amendment OF the laws relative to the
election and qualification OF town officers,
which will make the office Of local asses
sors uniform throughout the State. 1t
provides that the electors in every town
of the State shall elect three assessors OF
taxes, for one, two, anu three years, re-
spectively, and at each town election
thereafter shall elect. Que for three years.
The committee also suggests in the in
relative to the levy and assessment of
taxes be so amended that the tax shall be
assessed on the first day Of June. AS the
law stands now the date may be fixed by
the assessors or is left optional with the
town.
The next bill recommended is for an
extensive act for the purpose OF repeating
and amending parts OF several acts al
ready in force. For instance, Ii would
amend the first section of chapter "a,
which now reads, 'all real property in
the state and all personal property belong
ing to the inha bitants thereof shall be
liable to taxation unless otherwise
specially provided for'' by inserting
sand all personal tangible property To-
Gated in the State" This amendment is
to cover the immense amount of personal
property located In town other than the
one in which the owner resides. In the
third section the words "dynamo" and
"electric fixtures are added to the emu
meration of machinery which the law
declare to be real estate. Under the pres-
ent law section 10 has long proviso to
the effect that shareholders in any corpo-
ration already taxed on its capital stock
shall not be taxed on their holdings and
also that no one shall be taxed on per-
sonal property except what he may pos
This proviso is entirely omitted in the
new act, and elsewhere in the report 1t
provides that no Indebtedness, except
that In the town where the debtor is
taxed shall de deducted.
Section is amended by the addition OF
IL additional clauses to meet specific cases.
To illustrate:
"Tangible personal property OF the
partnership, situated or being Tn any
town where the partnership has no place
of business. shall be taxed therein to the
partners jointly under their partnership
name. When so jointly taxed. each
partner shall be liable for the whole
lax"
.The shares in national banking as
sociations held by persons residing with
out the State shall be taxed In the town
in which such banking assoc ciation is
situated. Residents OF this State shall
not be taxed in this Stete for shares held
by them in national banking associations
situated without this State, provided
they shall furnish the assessors satisfac-
tory evidence that such shares are taxed
in foreign state"
An amendment OF section Of Chapter 46
is suggested by two significant changes.
It requires "evcry person, partnership and
body corporate liable to taxation to bring
In to the assessors true and exact ac-
count OF all his estate" That is the
language of the proposed act. I'm the
present reading the word partnership
does not occur, but the word "estate" ID
modified by the word "ratable," leaving
II to the judgement OF the individual
what part of. his property Is or is not tax
able.
As TO VESSELS.
Section 13 OF Chapter 10 would be re-
penled altogether by the passage OF this
act. IL provides that all owners OF vessels
engaged in the foreign trade sh~2 pay
one per cent. OF their net earnings an
nunlly TO the town or city where the ship
il registered. The new bin includes oil
| ships or vesseis, whether mt home or
abroad. M personal property TO be taxed
| upon Valuation, ana not in accordance
with their earnings.
A NEW sTATR OFFICE.
A new bill ie Incorporated in the report
for an act 10 create the Office OF State tax
| commissioner.
This calls for the appointment OF state
tax commissioners by the Governor with
the npproval of the Senate. lie shall serve
! Il