New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-12
REASONS GIVEN BY COMMITTEE.

The committee believes its recommendations will
be of benefit to the general community for these
reasons:
First-There win be no necessity for the equaiza-
Second-The burden of taxation upon the owners
Of real estate will be reduced the extent of about
Third-The new taxes Will be uniform throughout
peation Payment viii be enforeed IF need ee be a
IN the of the real estate tax. by dvestng the
There win be no deduction of debts and no exemp-
lions: C0nseq1entiy there VIII be no Opportunity
which the taxpaying owners Of personally now SO
or better able to pay manage in one way or an
other 10 avoid their just share of the burden;
any mschiey0us inqq1,s is; processes Mort
records. and the special policy of other laws has
already opened the affairs OF banks and trust
Fifth-Counties cities towns and other local
subdivisions will raise no taxes except for their
entire responsibility viii be centred upon the local
The report will say that the committee could
evolve no way Of reaching personal property for
more equitable taxation. except by the listing sys
TEN, and that system it believes to be inquistoria
and repugnant TO American spirit
The committee first thought over the proposition
eff Withdrawing from local taxation steam and sur
face railroads. telegraph. telephone, electric light
and power companies, gas, water and pipe line
companies. and banks and trust companies, and
levying upon such corporations definite, fixed rate
Before determining the advisabHty Of such plan
II became necessary ascertain what proportion
OF the total tax divisions of the State upon the
property Of such corporations was paid by them
ard the committee caused to be gathered the entre
paid by the corporations named in three or
the counties Of the State TO wit: OsWego, Cattara-
gus and Chenango. The result was, indeed, start
ling in many of its aspects II was found that IN
the county of Oswego, in the 1897, the sum OF
and that of this the steam railroads alone paid
per cent and that in the county of CattarauguS
in the year 1885, 1884 S5S p received by taxation
for all purposes, and Of this sum the steam rail-
roads alone paid 11.S9 per cent; and that in the
county Chenango in the year 1887, Sl1 63I 90 was
received by taxation for all purposes, and that OF
this sum the steam railroads alone paid 79 per
cent In some school districts in the counties
named the steam railroads alone paid 90 per cent
OF the taxes. while the labor involved in the exact
ascertainment of the taxes paid by the corporations
named was so great that more companies could not
be analysed 1t Is safe TO say that they furnish
criterion for the rest of the counties
Annexed TO the report will be found tables of the
figures referred TO, given by towns. showing the
taxes received for State county, city, town. school
and highways purposes in the counties named.
The committee believes that IL is the first time the
entire annual taxes paid in any county in the
State have been collated, except the city of New
York, where there is but tax. It will be seen
upon the most casual examination Of the figures
that the plan Of Withdrawing from the locality
corporations named for the purpose OF State taxa
ton had 20 be speedily abandoned.
Another proposition was TO tax the entire stock
Of all corporations in the hands of individuals 1t
was proposed TO tax the entire deposits and sur
plus OF savings banks amounting TO about 81 OOO-
10000. now exempt from taxation. Another PROMO
EitiOn to place excise license upon varf-
Gus forms OF business, according the amount Of