The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-10-03
TAX man HAS
REFORM PLAN
George Lord Would Separate Lo.
cal and State Taxes

George Lord, the Wayne county tax
commissioners, who was prominent
figure at the tax conference at De-
trOit last week. has proposed a plan
That he believes would be effective la
achieving the thing that so many tax
reformers In Michigan have sought In
vain, namely the separation of local
and state taxes.
The plan thought out and proposed
by Mr.. Lord would. he believes, prove
simple, feasible, equitable and mex
pensive, lie proposes that each tax
district-city. village on township pay
state taxes to meet state expenses In
accordance with assessments based on
the amount [ o raised by locn
taxation.
'"rhe local taxes IN Michigan now
amount To about S30,000,O0 "A year"
said Mr.. Lord. Estimating the state
budget at S5.000.000 the tax rate. OF
apportionment for each local tax dis
trict 10 Pay. would be 10 2-S per cent
Of the total amount To be raised by To-
cal taxation and the aggregate of these
amounts, divided by the amount Of the
state budget. would give the rate for
assessing each district to raise the
money needed TO run the state govern
inent any one year.
Could Abolish Tax Commission.
"By providing state tax ON local.
revenues each local district would try
TO keep down its local taxes, all the
wrangling over cqualiIing the state
tax burdens would be done away with,
periodical equalization by state ana
country boards would be unnecessary,
and the state tax commission that
costs the taxpayers from $4,000 to
100000 IA year could be abolished and
the work of assessing the railroads and
q few other corporations cOulu be done
as Robert II. Shields. Of Houghton.
a former member of the state tax com
mission suggested at the tax conference
in this city last week. Besides. the
counties woIld be saved the expense
of preparing for state and county
CIVILIZATIONS. which in some. instances
perts as in Wayne county.
About the only expense involved i'm
carrying out the proposed method
would be $1,000 year to pay the sal
airy of an extra clerk In the auditor
generals office. With the railroad APP
praisal made by Professors Conley and
Adams for "A basis the state railroad
commission could without much diff
Guilty or extra expense assess the rail
roads and other corporations now as
sessed under the ad valorem system
10y the state tax commission
Oregon Has Similar System.
"A system Of separating state and
local taxes similar to that proposed by
me for Michigan is i'm operation i'm
oregon. The public utility corpora
tons of that state pay a considerable
portion Of the state taxes. but the
balance is raised by apportionment in
The various tax districts of the state
according to local revenue.
With no chance for the primary
school interest fund into which the
money raised by the taxation of rail
road and other corporations by The
state tax commission, acting as n
hoard of assessor, goes each year, be-
ing abolished in this state for many
years, IL ever. the plan ] am propos
ing for the separation of state and
local taxes is the best and most equit
able that | believe can he suggested,
and | hope that Ii will be adopt
ed. The next legislature should pass
measures to put ii into effect"