Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-10-23


ard of INTERPRETATIONS To Secure
ectter sy1tsm of Taxation Has
Been Persistent for Fifteen Years.
Frankfort, Ky.-(SpeciaD-The ef'
forts to secure better system of taxa.
ton for Kentucky have been pei.
sistent for fifteen years but owing TO
the ironclad restrictions in the state
constitution it is exceedingly difficult
to secure any change.
Tax commissions have repeatedly
been appointed by authority of the
legislatures and these commissions
have unanimously condemned the gen.
eral property tax which was adopted
by the last constitutional convention
and as the law is constitutional it has
been impossible for the legislature
alone TO repeal it.
However, the last general assembly
undertook to amend the constitution
as provided by law and this amend.
ment will have to be ratified by the
people at the November election and
If 1t fails to carry it cannot be voted
on again for another five years,
The effect of the present law is 10
drive people and money from the state
and to prevent other people and money
from coming in and building up our
industries.
This is how the general property
tax is regarded by outsiders as ndi.
Gated in a report of a commission ap,
pointed in another state and It APP
plies in all respects TO our present
tax system, a
"The personal property tax is a
farce. 1t falls inevitably upon the
comparatively few who are caught
The burden it imposes upon produc'
zion is out of all proportion to the
revenue it produces,
Year after year state and local as
sessing boards have denounced it as
impracticable in its workings and un
just In its results. These recon
mendations have for the most par
passed UNDECIDED or have led to in
eifeotual attempts to bolster up th'
law. 1t is time the situation was
faced squarely, and the tax in it
present form abolished.
80 far as the personal propert!
3 tax attempts TO reach intangible form
of wealth. its administration is 81
oomical as TO have become a byword
} such method Of collecting
revenue would be serious menac
10 democratic institutions were 1t no
so generally recognized as howlln
farce.
= But 1t is not farce to those VIII
/ are fully assessed. These are chief
q the widows and orphans who ar
caught when their property is liste
nj the probate court, farmers, reta
y merchants and others, incorporated @
1 unincorporated, with stocks OF good
G and the small investors who are nc
skillful enough TO make non.taxabl
investments"
The state referred to has change
q its tax system and already the receipt
C. from taxation have increased emo
Y mously and the peculiar effect of
q has been to lower the taxes on lane
e and improvements by securing grea
er revenue from personal propert
d which had formerly produced little (
no returns.
:. Kentucky must increase Its revenue
N to keep up It's schools and public |
stitutions and IL would be manifest
unfair to make the property at prese
u paying taxes sustain this added bu
as den, but under the present law the
- is no other recourse,
" II the amendment carries and Il
81 legislature is empowered to classl
T. property SO as TO bring under the O
80 SCISSORS scrutiny the vast amount
~ personal property now escaping tax
III ton the revenues can be increas
ne and taxes on lands and houses DIM
,, ished and what is more important tn
all We will be able to develop our
u sources, maintain our population n
e. attract capital and people who W
%, help to build up the state
Ohio has recently changed its I
OF laws and has already been benefit
as and Tennessee is about to renoun
the general property tax. 9th
states have either long since abolish
UT It or are preparing to do so.
n The present system in Kentucky W
nj porHar when the country was you
~ and wealth largely confined to r.
re, estate which could not be hidden.
dis Wealth is now largely in persol
securities which the assessor can I
locate and In consequence this class
Oh property escapes almost entirely
ch Can we afford to neglect this 81,
bo question and yet hope to compete W
Nv neghboring states which are less
II. vored than ours naturally but hg
.ly the advantage of cheap money and |
taxes?
, II the amendment fails to carry
IL next census will show that KentuC
Of, has moved down another peg or so
nm its standing among the states q
~ those at present paying taxes viii
NJ eyitably have to pay more on
'et same property while others will
in cape by hiding their personal prope
from the assessors.
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