Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-07-29
CALIFORNIA; TAX FAuJ,pn

An article in the June issue Of n.
omic Studies by DR.. c. c. plehn a'
The General Property Tax IN 90 "a
fornia,' shows that the Cali,o.
general property-tax law ron,a'
closely to what in theory is tba
form OF that tax, but it shows also ~. sea
the law is not successfully .an.'
tered. Real estate is taxed win
or less success, but personality esoan
Owners OF securities, based on nroaN'
ty already taxed, show in California
more appreciation of the ms ioo W
double taxation than is show, ~
like class in other states. The fao,;-
that wrong may be met with us
however ill-founded in ethics. Is cas
orally accepted and perjury as res,' eeu'
tax-lists is general The chief ras,,'
OF the effort to tax evidences Of dah.
indeed, is declared by the author -
the Generalization of the popular ~
science. Veracity as to persona, No.
perty is diminishing quantity in ~,
ifornia, even when helped opt hv
formal oath.
A diagram covering the period from
1850 TO 1895 shows that in the forr,a-
year California started with assosn.,
real estate and personal property NJ
under 00,000,000. Both incraooos
slowly till about 1872, when both heaos
to increase rapidly In that year tbs
assessed valuation of real estate rose -
about S4O5, 100000 and personal nrn
perty to some s2O5, 900 900. After is7o
real estate increased in value NM,
more rapidly till 1898, when II woa
nearly s1,300,000,000 while person,I
property on the tax lists declined ava
in 1895 was under $200,OOO,OOO Thu
state tax rate has varied from 50 cento
on the 500 in 1850 to s1.25 In 1854 ana
4.29 in 1896 The average assessmer,
is 60 per cent of the fair cash value {"
though the law calls for the full va,ns
The average assessment of town and
city lots is lower than that of tho
broad acres. The farming land Is as.
sessed at from 62 to sc per cent. Of ia
value, while city real estate is nut down
at from "a to 55 per cent. OF It's value
In San Francisco, however. the rate i,
higher, varying from 60 to rs per cen,
1t is estimated that the average Cali.
fornia farmer pays about II cents mora
on the $500 of property he actually
owns" than does the average resident
of the city.
Double taxation is nearly avoided in
California, being applied only to own.
ers Of stocks and bonds of corporations
whose tangible property is taxed in
other states, and to unsecured notes
The treatment of mortgages and OF
debts secured by liens or in other WAYS
prevents one form of double taxation
common in other states. Debts due
residents of the state and taxed as sol.
vent credits may be deducted from sol.
vent credits of the debtor Taken as
whole, the California tax law is pro.
nounced the best property tax law ever
written. As general property tax
it conforms closely to the ideal Of that
sort of tax. If it We're possible to ad.
minister any general property tax fair.
ly, this one could be administered
But it has failed, because such tax
is nowadays impracticable. Property
exists in forms too numerous and com.
plicated to be reached by the genera
property tax. Under modern econ,
omic conditions" says DR.. Plehn. 'tht
general porperty tax is Fundamentally
wrong in principle. At the presen
time property is not a fair indication
Of ability to contribute to the supper
of the government" Owners Of forml
of property which produce but little In
come too often feel that their income
not the amount of their capital. IS tn,
measure Of their ability to pay taxes
When their property consists of foul
per cent. Californians, it seems, ar,
sadly tempted to perjure themselves
rather than lose half their income
And CALIFORNIA; experience is yer!
much that of other states.-Batimor
Sun.