The Big Sandy news., 1913-10-17

Frankfort, Ky-(SpeciaD-The ef'
forts to secure better system OF taxa,
ton for Kentucky have been per
sistent for fifteen years but owing to
the ironclad restrictions in the state
constitution 1t 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 II has
been impossible for the legislature
alone TO repeal 1t,
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
, II it fails TO carry II cannot be voted
on again for another five years.
The effect OF the present law Is to
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 indi'
Gated in a report OF commission ap.
pointed in another state and 1t ap-
plies in all respects to our present
4 tax system.
THE personal property tax is a
farce. 1t falls inevitably upon the
comparatively few who are caught.
The burden 1t imposes upon produc,
ton is out of all proportion TO the
revenue it produces.
Year after year state and local as
i sessing boards have denounced II as
impracticable in its workings and un'
;, Just in its results. These recon-
uendations have for the most part
passed unheeded or have led to in
effectual attempts to bolster up the
law. 1t is time the situation was
faced squarely, and the tax in its
present form abolished.
so far as the personal property
tax attempts TO reach intangible forms
OF wealth. its administration is SC
comical as to have become byword
Such a method OF collecting
revenue would be serious menace
to democratic institutions were 1t moi
SO generally recognized as bowling
farce,
But it is not farce to those who
are fully assessed. These are chiefly
the widows and orphans who ar'
caught when their property is LISTED
nj the probate court, farmers. retail
merchants and others, Incorporated OF
unincorporated, with stocks OF goods
and the small investors who are no
skillful enough to make non.taxabl'
Investments
The state referred to has changet
: its tax system and already the receipt
/ from taxation have increased enor
: mously and the peculiar effect OF !
has been to lower the taxes on land
and improvements by securing great
er revenue from personal propert,
4 which had formerly produced little o
{ no returns.
> Kentucky must increase its revenue
to keep up its schools and public II
. stituuons and it would be manifest
unfair to make the property at preseu
paying taxes sustain this added bul
den. but under the present law ther
is no other recourse
a If the amendment carries and tn
: legislature is empowered to classlf
. property so as to bring under the as
4 SCISSORS scrutiny the vast amount c
personal property now escaping tax'
tlon the revenues, can be increase
and taxes on lands and houses dimil
shed and what Is more important tina
all we will be able to develop our r,
I sources, maintain our population an
attract capital and people who wi
n help to build up the state.
Ohio has recently changed its ia
. laws and has already been benefite
and Tennessee is about to renounc
a.. the general property tax. Othe
: states have either long since abolishe
it or are preparing to do so.
The present system in Kentucky wa
u popular when the country was youn
and wealth largely confined TO re;
# estate which could not be hidden.
Wealth is now largely in personi
p securities which the assessor can NJ
locate and in consequence this class {
property escapes almost entirely
Can we afford to neglect this grei
ss question and yet hope to compete wit
neighborlng states which are less {
& vored than ours naturally but hay
the advantage of cheap money and 10
N taxes?
II the amendment fails TO carry Il
- next census will show that Kentucl
has moved down another peg or so
;, It's standing among the states al
= those at present paying taxes Will ]
2 eyitably have to pay more on Il
same property while others will G
IS cape by hiding their personal properl