New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-13
NO PERSONAL TAX
UNFAIR SAYS Low.
Er-Nayor 4 grees 7cath Goynor
and LaUson Purdy

ne recent correspondence between May
or Gaynor and President Purdy Of the Tax
Board looking to the possible adjustment
OF personal taxation found distinct favor
among real estate owners in this city yes
terday.
Henry Holt the publisher, said at his
| home. No III Madison avenue, last night
that everything he owned, aside from his
business. was represented bv real estate
but nevertheless he was strongly in favor
Of the abolition of the personal proper+y
tax
The whole drift is toward the land. q.
said Mr.. Holt We are behind the rest
of the world in attempting to gather our
local taxes from personal property. Eng
land is fast coming TO It as regards Ioca |
taxes. The most prominent point In the
English budget, 10 my mind, is that it calls
for revenue from land for national pur-
poses. That shows the drift of things over
there
My recollection is that it was not more
than. five or ten years ago that one-fifth Of
the revenue Of New York City came from
personal taxes; now about one-eighth OF
the revenue of the city comes from that
source. And this situation is true in nearly
every city in the United States. There are
not many exceptions For instance. they
don't attempt TO collect any personal taxes
in Rhode Island or Delaware. I think We
are fast approaching the time when per
sonal property taxes will be abo1shed by
constitutional amendment.
Ex-Mayor Low said at his home. No so
East 64th street, that he was heartily in
sympathy with the movement.
There is no tax which operates so IN
fairly he said. even from the point OF
view of what is actually levied Roughly
speaking, not more than one-half of what
is levied is collected which adds TO the IN
fairness.
of course. the city's finances are greatly
embarrassed by the failure every year to
collect millions of dollars Of taxes which
are supposed to pay for expenses actually
incurred This makes an artificial den-
cheney every year, which has to be made up
by an issue of bonds or by being relieved in
a later tax levy. This IS an absurd system
of financing d municipality.
LAS long as the state collected q large
part of the state taxes by direct taxation
the country districts were unwilling 70
abolish the personal tax. because they
thought that TO do so would decrease very
much the amount OF state tax TO be col
lected from the cities, and would thus
throw an additional burden upon the
country.
Now, however, that the state is entirely
supported by indirect taxation, this argyll
nent loses its force, and there ought to be
no objection to allowing New York or any
other city TO collect its entire levy from
real estate and franchises.
Il hope therefore. that the proposal 10
abolish the personal tax viii be vigorously
pressed. I shall be glad 70 do everything
in my power to help the movement along
George Haven Putnam. the publisher.
said: Il do not believe in ievying a tax
upon ANYTHING that can be hidden or can
run away Therefore, l am very much
opposed to the personal property tax |
think that il helps to create race of liars
and petty thieves. This will give some
slight indication as 10 my position, but I
cannot 90 into details, because I an rush
ing away to keep an engagement down
town
Many other men. owners Of real estate IN
large amounts, expressed sympathy yestar-
day with the evident intention Of the Mayor
TO take steps 10 abolish the personal prop
erty tax but did not want 70 be quoted
because they felt that their opinions might
be TOO general in character.
One man pointed out that if the personal
property tax had not been 50 great 4 handI-
cap upon merchants as upon manufact-
urers II was because the merchants had
more readily evaded it If II could be thor
oughly enforced he said our merchants
would have 70 increase prices. and so lose
large part Of their trade"