The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-17
Receipts from State
/ .44o OF se.142.eos os

al have taken these five counties simply as an
Illustration. but the same comparison will, hold
good all over the state. It will be observed that
In the i've counties s. ,142,65S went into tho
county treasures, while the same counties paid
70 the State. as u lax upon real estate. " ,249,-
2 ;a,s and upon personal property. S93..@o2' a
Now, according to the plan suggested. the
legislature would simply say. by statute, to
Treasury the amount you are entitled to receive
under the present excise law, which in this case
amounted TO ST, li2, 65S. and the State will re.
NIT the tax upon the real property in YOUR coun-
Ties, which in this case amounted to 81, 249, GAG,
and will remit entirely the tax upon personal
property, amounting to $932 ,2O2, and make 1t a
condition OF the contract that all direct taxes
upon personal property be henccforth abol-
ished. The practical effect of this change
n The financing of the State . accounts would DC
mat the direct lax, as now assessed. would DO
lost to the State in the sixty counties, amount
ihg IN thy aggregate to $ll,75l,s37. and in lieu
thereof the state would receive the share OF the
excise tax nowgoing into the several county
Treasures. amounting TO $s,oo5,SIG. BY this
tween the amount collected from the general
alrect tax and the amount going into the county
treasures as their share Of the excise tax, which
would DC ~, 7i5,3Ol, but OF this amount III ,237.-
W would be the direct tax upon personal prop
ing out entirety"
The reduction in taxes receivable from New
tork county, amounting to nearly Co., 900.
tTSoks alIuring at iir.t glance, but OF course New
YORK would have to make up its share of the
resulting deficit in some way, and when 1t Is
FOUND That that way Is to be by means OF u
eraaea inherit9nce tax, it becomes apparent at
ohce that New York would make up Il good deal
more IMAM the 81, 200. 900 1t would 81 i've. us a large
Pn1porll9h OF the big fortunes of tho State are
~ Wlihlh rs confines. To meet the remaining
aenelt The Comptroller throws out a rather
vague suggestion that " other changes could be
mage IN the indirect tax laws which would re-
SUIT 10 considerable revenue to the State treas
NY, and mentions New Jerseys franchise
taxes on miscellaneous corporations. tax on
ta'lroaus, and fees from various sources. Then
these words:
IN view OF the fact that personal property
%"st 10 pt wholly exemptcd from taxation dur.
ihs omG i,Gtilne OF the owner. IL certainly would
Sr suitable, Just and fair to make il pay an in
nsr %Se TAX as compared with what IT is now
pa.ihs. upon the death OF the owner, and his
amount need not be largely increased. In that
o",Is, aha oy practical economy, and by certain
or ihiilHterihl changes. the deficit Of 50, 745.-
hthen 70 NE state which would be harmonious,
i ibn anu eqhit BILE, and one that would. relieve
now 10 people from tho inquisitorial examinations
w. necessary, and one that would, in my
'."efneIl, give entire satisfaction TO the people.
b m 'u,lice to myself, IL is only fair to say that
CnnHau ~ NINA this plan to support the State
oHUD.rhlnenI from indirect sources and the relief
. porsGh'l property from direct taxation when
bill II" u forward my graded inheritance tax
be- m ias' year, This bill failed TO become a law
SIIo"use OF an Executive veto. have no apollo
ball. w mahr Tor my advocacy of this bill. l
no rcsson economically right. and have seen
mucb az !" mango my views; but there ID so
ure n uihtFsily OF opinion regarding he meas.
there lnul'"lcd by the press comments, that
sr pe seems nothing TO do but TO await tho
einI"thol a clearer understanding OF the prin-
lapSy' uhuerI{ins tho bill. Illinois has a similar
Will "htGh has been declared constitutional,
has d massachusetts, special tax commission
sImii IvporltI IN favor OF tho enactment OF u
liar statute in that State
II criticism OF the present tax system tho
'Iptroi1cF has this to say:
STATE Il ,oGF Years OF close official study Of tho
Rrosn mtnn''S ,Onpels me TO say there is serious
sdmrt%nT iOr 'oInplalnt. The present tax laws as
proyisto,WeTen u viii say nothing about their
natinr are unfair, unjust, and discrlmi-
10 mn ortIhlh classes OF property are forced
alton more Than their fair proportion OF tax
or n, WINE other classes escape entirely
temp"i. very little. The entire tax sys-
have TO- u!sJolnci and unsystcmatic. We
ehoIgb ~ 'hy lakes and taxing laws and not
hrAt ~ harmony between them. We have,
porsnnnapp general direct tax upon all real and
tbis Ina q PROPERTY IN the state. The theory OF
upon al Is mat II is levied fairly and equitably
isHo, n PROPERTY covered by the law, but such
asses r V Glht. No TWO counties in the state
valus, t'"' estate according TO tho same basis OF
the toyy T ana the same disparity exIsts among
nj \, w. OF NE same county.
ORE itlsl III PERSONAL pronerIy howaver that tho
discoyeTedd party ana The greatest injustice arc
Grana inr,, !h,l year an investigation by the
fact tLSs,"r !! ~ W cstchcstcr county disclosed the
New Vol" mat wealthy county. bordering ON
soma mn, we ratio OF taxable valuation OF per-
only l',ooLetly TO real estate, in hive towns, was
~ CENT and In four other towns the