The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-03-10

AHN NN NN AtlNlt
Mr. Paxton stated that iho attorney
Tor Che legislative committee Jhafloa
n HemenHay, would speak on the act
aud discuss tho vtfioun auhndmohis.
NE, Homcnway aaidl In parts
"ThiH bin is thu administration tax
bill In its amended form, providing that
the property taxcs shall 60 to the eouh.
ties and the income tax to tho Terri
tory. Its general features are as fol
lows;
1.-THE present taxation divisions are
maintained, with the exception that
they are designated according to the
present county or city and county
names.
'sTax assessors are to be appointed,
and may be removed by the treasurer
with tho approval Of the Governor, this
provision being practically as at pres
emit, EXCEPT that Il is not necessary to
prove an assessor TO be incompetent OF
corrupt before he may be removed.
1.-THE basis Of property taxation re
mains as at present and is the full
cash value Of the property. Tho meth
cd of assessment is materially changed
and is the following: Tho board Of SUI
pervisors in each county is required to
prepare an estimate OF the net amount,
after dedneting revenues from other
sources, required, first, for current ex-
penses Of the county; second, for per
manent improvements, and, third, for
interest and sinking fund payments for
county bonds. These estimates are to
be transmitted to the assessor of the
division. The treasurer Of the Terri
tory is required TO prepare and transmit
to the assessor an estimate OF the
amount required by the Territory to
meet payments due from the county TO
the Territory for school, interest, sink
ing fund and other purposes, including
the cost Of assessing and collecting
taxes.
From these estimates the assessor
determines the rate per cent at which
property shall be taxed for each of the
foregoing purposes during the year,
using as a basis the aggregate value OF
the property as assessed for the proceed.
ing year. If the estimates for current
expenses and permanent improvements,
taken together, call for tax in excess
Of two-thirds of one per cent, then the
assessor reduces the rate for these pur-
poses so that it shall not exceed tive
thirds of one per cent.
''To the rate required for current ex-
penses and permanent improvements
the assessor shall add whatever rate
may be necessary to raise funds to meet
interest and sinking fund payments on
! county bonds and payments due the
Territory for school, interest, sinking
fund or other purposes. The sum OF
the rates so fixed is made the rate for
the ensuing year.
"Prope~py utilized in the business
Of transmitting intelligence by elec.
tricity or otherwise, or in transporting
passengers, mail or freight, is subject
to taxation at the same rate as fixed
for the city and county Of Honolulu,
the proceeds of which tax are to 60 to
the Territory.
"The present law providing for the
division of the income and property tax
between the Territory and the counties
is repealed, andt new section added,
providing for the disposition of the
property tax.
fThis section, summarized, provides
for the payment of road, cart, dray,
automobile, etc, taxes into a special
account to the credit of the district
iWutTb GOuecttu.
"other personal taxes go to the
treasurer of each county.
"0ut of the property taxes the
, treasurer Of the Territory shall first
, retain enough in special account to
meet the sums due the Territory for
z, school, interest, sinking or other pur-
| poses, and is required to pay the bal
ance from time to time over to the
treasurer OF each county. The county
treasurer is required to keep in spe.
/ cial accounts, first, the sum necessary
! to meet interest and sinking fund pay.
I ments on county bonds, and, second,
: the amount necessary for permanent
: improvements, which SIMS cannot be
) used for any other purposes.
"Certain laws are repealed in order
: to make the plan workable. This is
the only bill which win be required to
l accomplish the object of separating
completely the sources Of revenue OF
l the counties from those Of the Terri
tory along the suggested lines"
Twelve-Year Fight.
, j. P. Cooke was in perfect sympa-
thy with the proposed amendments.
( He was very much opposed to any
measure looking toward the increase
Q of property taxes over one per cent.
1--WE have fought for over twelve
years. he said, "to keep this down
to one per cent. If we let it go TO
/. even one and one-sixth in time it may
go to one and One-fourth and so on. -
Mr.. Cooke then offered the resolution
; quoted above.
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