Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-13
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adopted in 1886, and this provision has
matters of taxation. However. this has
not been looked upon or construed to
mean that classification Of property for
taxation is not permitted.
Before l proceed further I might
add that it is my judgment that we
will eventually, and at no distant day.
settle down to the single tax, and that
the generaN property tax will be elm
mated. The reason is that the history
Of the world is story of the failure to
administer the law as it applies to gen.
eral property tax. The reason is plain.
1t Is well known fact that it is prac-
tically impossible to satisfactorily levy
and collect tax on intangible prop
erty. l would not advocate the imnled-
late adoption Of such system, for
such a change must be approached
that the millennial day is yet afar Off
wish to be recorded, however, as say
ing that we are just as certainly ap-
preaching such system as we are the
dawning of the morning sun.
What have said so far is but pre-
liminary to my subject of the admins
trative failure Of the general property
tax. Our tax laws are, not wholly bad:
in fact they are in the main about as
good as we will in the end be able to
make them. Our difficulty is a failure
in administration.
In contemplation of law all prop
erty is assessed at it's full value. Ac-
tually, however, as will show you by
figures that cannot be disputed, it is
assessed at about one-sixth of its
value, and If make any recommenda-
lions it will be rather to change the
method Of administration Of tax laws
than the law itself
- Real Value Should Figure.
my belief is that. if all property was
assessed at it's full value none of us
would have just cause to complain.
Our average mill levy in Iowa today is
forty-five mills. This is for the entire
state. OF course it is much higher in
the incorporated cities. This is on our
present assessed value. Assessed at it's
full value we would at once reduce our
mill levy to eight which is the recent
result in the state Of Kansas where a
system of real administration of ex-
listing laws has been in force for the
past four or five years The point Is
sessed at its value it would tend to
equality.
"Under our present system of valu-
alton of all forms of property, except
and credits. we have cotton our
mill levy SO high that it forced money
ana CreullS into A1Qlng, Tor when
found they have always been assessed
at their full value. The experience Of
every nation in the known world has
been that when you undertake to tax
property at more than about
ten per cent of it's earning value it at
once goes into hiding. and the recog-
milton Of this fact has led to all kinds
Of laws to compel the listing Of such
property. Among these laws was the
tax ferreting' system as we knew it in
Iowa for a period of twelve years
with its attendant results. Of driving
capital out of the state, and which iii
the end led to it's repeal by the thirty
fourth general assembly. 1t is with
some degree of pride that I look back
On my part in the fight which led to its |
repeal, for when all is said no one was
seriously opposing Its repeal, except
the ferret himself whose interest III
the matter was not wholly unself1sh, |
for he was interested to the extent of !
about fifteen cents of every dollar he |
could find. ,...
Should any of my hearers care to |
take the side of the ferret who is not |
here to defend himself, assert for his |
Information that the state of Ohio for
years had tax ferret law
which was similar to our own, except !;
that a commission of 20 per cent was |