Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-04-08

pected TO add not less than $780,
900 and possibly $15O,OOO annually
| to the state revenues.
Another good producer of revenue
| Is peculiar in that it was Dur
! through the legislature by COM
bination of the brewery interests
and prohibitionists. Bassett, IN
aDti-saloOn man, originally intro
duced the bill. 1t was literally
amended, rumor crediting the at
torney for the brewers as preparing
the draft as it passed. Johnson. of
Yakima, the local option Champion
was enthusiastic in support of the
bill.
Briefly, it makes every saloon in
the state pay, in addition to the
present license, a state fee of s25
and makes drug stores, dining cars,
steamboats, and every other place
| liquor is sold pay each a state H.
cense fee. 1t is estimated the add
ed revenue to the state produced by
this bill will not be less than S125.-
ooo year. 1t is quietly known the
brewers favored the bill as a wcap-
on against future local option
movement. They figure that to
snow that enormous revenue would
so a long way to defeat such a
movement, so are anxious to swell
the revenues.
Better provision made for en-
forcement of the escheat law will,
probably gather in $4,000 back
escheats. and swell future revenues
from that source. The inheritance
tax law has also been amended aid
slmplified with the expectation that
it will produce revenue.
Representative McCoys bill re
qulring greater publicity regarding
sales of state lands and state timber
is also counted upon to add materi-
ally to the states revenue.
|
ber and leasehold estates personal
property for taxing purposes, VIII
reach all state timber sold and all
the immensely valuable leases of
tidelands and harbor areas. When
taxed as realty the lessees simply
did not pay and the tax became a
lien on the realty, and of course
failed because the fee title to tie
realty is in the state. Now, as
personal property, the treasurer can
distrain and sell any property of
the taxpayer to make the amount of
the tax.
This same bill declares lumber
and logs may be taxed in the coun-
ty where situated March 1, which
will reach much property that here
tofore escaped.
The right to distrain and sell per-
sonal property about to be moved
out Of the county. is looked upon
to reduce materially the large
amount of personal tax levy an
nIally uncollected.
| Another law that provides tax
certificates shall not be issued until
a year after delinquency, means the
counties will collect interest at the
rate of Is per cent per annum twice
as long as now, for the certificates
now are sold after six months.
Important is the proposed consti-
tutional amendment to be submitted
at the next general election. It
will permit carrying out a plan the
tax commission favors, to make
railroads, etc., pay all state taxes
and relieve the general taxpayers
of that burden. The tax commission
is also given, by another bill, power
to levy all assessments on rail-
roads, telegraph companies and in
terurban lines, taking this from
the various county assessors and as
suring uniform assessments.
What Tax Commissioner ]. Fl.
yesterday probably considers the
most important bill, because it was
his pet measure, is that exempting
money, bonds, warrants, mortgages,
etc, from taxation. He has claimed
the tax books show 80 per cent OF
this property is not turned in. Elk.
enpted, he claims, the property will
come out from cover, investments
will increase, capital will be attract
ed here. and interest rates will be
lower not only to the private bor-
rover, but to the cities, schools and
counties which issue bonds and war;
rants.
Other efforts to encourage in
vestment in state, county, school
and city bonds were made in new
laws. The insurance bill provides
that any company which has half
its assets invested in such local Sc
curities shall pay but per cent
tax. and the depository bills all