Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-03-12
FRANCE HD0PTS |
INCOME TAX LAW
GOVERNMENT BILL PASSES IN
CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES BY
BIG MAJORITY. y
ALL LABORERS ARE EXEMPT.
Graduated Scale Hits Those with Large
Revenues and Foreign Residents
Will Suffer.
MEANS VICTORY FOR MINISTRY.

PARIS, March 10.-The chamber of
deputies has passed the income tax bill
by 4OI votes to 166. The bill does away
with many of the vexatious and anti
uuated taxes in France and substitutes
therefore a graduated income tax. Day,
laborers are practically exempted. The
tax upon incomes above $1,000 per year
Is made progressive up to 4 per cent of
the total The bill will constitute COM
plete readjustment of the fiscal system
of France.
Victory for Ministry.
The debate on the bill has been going
on for several months, and the Clemeu-
ceau government has on several ocCa-
sions staked its existence on the pas
sage of the measure.
As finally passed, the bill carries an
important amendment poStponng its
application until parallel bill assuring
revenue to the various communeS and
departments becomes law.
The present measure bears heavily on
foreign residents, whose taxes are prac-
tically quadrupled, their incomes being
the rent they pay. The opponents of
the measure are preparing to put up 4
strong fight in the Senate.
In its amended form the bill SUD-
presses many taxes, like the window and
door tax, which have come down from
the days of Napoleon, and impose a
graduated assessment upon incomes.
Lowers Tax of Workers.
The government claims that the new
measure will more equitably Distribute
the burdens of taxation, estimating that
orti yhn
amounting to 10 per cent. of the cost
of his lodging would under the new law
find his tax reduced to less than 81, if
his income were, for instance, 5000. On
the other hand, estates Of 100000,
which formerly paid only $1,000 would
pay $4,000.
The bill in no wise affects the GUS
toms duties or the enormous indirect
taxation through state monopolies in
tobacco, matches, etc, or the taxes upon
sugar, salt and drinking licenses, which
altogether, make up about $500, 100000
francs in a total budget of about B.
5O0,0O0,000 francs.
The reduction upon unimproved prop
erty-i. e., lands unimproved by build
ings, which includes farms-amOunts to
80 per cent.
Some Important Changes.
The taxes suppressed or revised in
clude:
Francs.
Real estate (built). .............. $1,000
Real estate (unbuilt) .......-....1 los, 0O00 900
Personal property. l0l 900 900
Window and door taxes. ......... 66,OO0,0OO
Commercial licenses of all kinds. 13S, 900, 900
-Four per cent. tax on the revenue
from French stocks and bonds. n,OOOOOO
Same from foreign stocks and
bonds ................. 9,OOOOOO
Stamp taxes on transfers. ...... 100, 900 900
- -, -
IOldl -.-s.--- OJO,VoD,Oot
The new measure divides the taxes
into seven categOries: the first three pay
4 per cent. and include real property and
the income from capital, stocks, bonds,
etc, except savings deposits; the next
two categOries pay 312 per cent. and
cover the income from the profits from
commercial and industrial undertakings
and farm production; the sixth and
seventh categories pay per cent and
include salaries, pensions and life annu-
tiles above 1850 francs.
Increases with Incomes.
In addition there is a complementary
tax imposed upon all persons enjoying
an income above 5000 francs ($1O0O
This is progressive, ranging from 10
francs for 5000 francs up to 5000 francs
for 100000 francs, and per cent. upon
incomes above 100000 francs.
The taxes upon foreign stocks and
DohuS are Fepldceu ny uouDle TAX OF
l per cent. upon the income therefron
and per cent upon transfers. This
provision suppresses the necessity which
formerly existed for the maintenance in
France by each foreign corporation with
stocks quoted on the bourse Of a repre-
sentative responsible for taxes due the
state The income from French state
obligations is taxed as part of the COM
Elementary tax.
The governments estimate of the
revenue from the new taxes gives a total
of 694, 100000 francs.