Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-10-23
UNJUST TAX Law
I'M KENTUCKY
How Unsatisfactory the Pres
emf Tax System Works
in This State

Most Unequal System Ever Devised
and Most of'the Progressive states
Have Abolished the Plan Used in
Kentucky.
The present state constitution of
Kentucky provides that "TaXes shall
be uniform on all kinds of property"
and ON the surface this seems to be
so fair the average thinker can find
no fault with it.
In practice, however, it has been
found to be the most unequal tax sys
ten ever devised, and most of the pro-
gressive states have abolished the
plan.
Its inequalities and unfairness may
be seen from the way it discriminates
in certain classes of property and eX-
plains why Kentucky seems to have
so little intangible wealth as COM
pared with other states
For instance, cash in savings banks
draws only three per cent interest,
gllt-edge bonds pay four per cent, real
estate notes six per cent, stock in
some foreign corporations ten per cent,
while the tax on all is the same for
stale purposes, but varies for county
and city purposes according TO the To-
cation.
Thus where the income is only 3
per cent and the taxes 21A per cent
1t leaves the owner only u per cent
interest, and where the income Is 10
per cent and the taxes 21a per cent
the interest is 712 per cent, In this
uniform?
In some counties land is assessed
at 80 per cent Of its value, in others 80
per cent and in others 40 per cent
The state tax is the same in all the
counties Is this uniform?
If an honest farmer lists his prop.
erty at its fair value and his UNI
scrupulous neighhor puts lower value
on his property the former pays more
than his share, While the latter pays
less,
If the state board of equalization
raises the entire list for that county,
the honest man pays on property he
doesn't own, and yet our law is sup
posed to be uniform.
That the personally owned by citi
Gems of Kentucky is vastly more than
Is listed for taxation is well.estab
llshed fact; but the tax receipts dom
show Il. In fact, certain classes OIL
property, such as stocks, bonds. notes
and cash have almost disappeared from
the tax rolls, and these evidences Of
wealtheraa~-~4iy srop less each year
II the present system is allowed L
remain in force. 1t will result, as 1t has
in other states, in almost all kinds O
personally disappearing from the as
SCISSORS books, and lands and houses
I which can not be hid or moved vii
have to bear the chief burden.
II has been so in every state wher,
the general property tax" has beer
the plan on which property was taxed
and most OF the states have been wis
enough to get rid of such an unequa
and unfair system.
The Ohio state tax commission, Il
its 1908 report on the operation Of tn
general property tax" says;
at is a failure for purposes of rev
= enue or equality. Perhaps not pc
, cent of intangible property is llstet
, 1t Furnishes the honest. 1t rewards tn
dishonest. 1t frequently results /
double taxation and lowers the stan,
D. ard Of integrity"
l The entire revenue of the state {
G Kentucky is about s7,OOO,OOO, Will
Michigan, with about the same are
d and population, receives S14,O00,OC
9 from taxes. only small proportion I
= which is paid on land.
!, In Pennsylvania there is no sta
tax on farms or homes.
. There are 100000 acres of unii
L proved farm lands in Kentucky al
y yet vast quantities of farm produc
" have to be imported.
There are about twenty-five tho
's sand square miles of coal lands
n Kentucky, ard yet We buy millions
" tons of coal from Pennsylvania, We
!, Virginia, Indiana and Tennessee.
p. Kentucky raises thirty-eight p
70 cent of the tobacco crop of the Unit
States and manufactures only thr
!, per cent OF Il,
~ These are significant facts and o
.. people should consider them,
NJ There may he other causes for o
.. lack of progress but 1t is an esta
NJ lished fact that no state has ey
n prospered under the general proper
m tax and It is also known that this {
o. plorable system of taxation has alwa
ID driven out capital, retarded develt
m meut and caused untold losses In pt
uation.
~ The last general assembly pass
Nd an act amending the state constl
ce ton so as to permit future leSislati
er ON taxation which will go far towal
oil remedying the evils and It is the DIT
of every citizen in the state to W
No for the amendment at the Noyeml
no election, If 1t is not ratified at Il
mi time 1t will be impossible to vote
the question for another five Yet
,ol and It has been delayed too long
NJ ready, 1t is time for us to wake
nj and get In line with other prosper,
states, Vote for. the constitution
"a. amendment at the November elect
ia. Retort Courteous.
We MY son Willie tells me that
NV threatened to box his ears yesterd