The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1913-10-24


Frankfort, Ky.-(SpeciaD-The ef-
forts to secure a better system of taxa
ton for Kentucky have been per-
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 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
if it fails to carry it 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 a commission ap-
pointed in another state and it ap-
plies in all respects to our present
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
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 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, it's administration is sc
comical as to have become byword
Such a method of collecting
revenue would be serious menace
to democratic institutions were it no
so generally recognized as a bowling
farce.
But it is not a farce to those who
are fully assessed. These are chiefly
the widows and orphans who are
caught when their property is listed
nj the probate court, farmers, retail
merchants and others, incorporated OIL
unincorporated, with stocks of goods
and the small investors who are no
skillful enough to make non-taxablt
investments"
The state referred to has changed
its tax system and already the receipt.
from taxation have increased enor
nously and the peculiar effect of j
has been to lower the taxes on landi
md improvements by securing a great
er revenue from personal property
which had formerly produced little o.
no returns.
Kentucky must increase its revenues
to keep up its schools and public in
| situations and ii would be manifest,
unfair to make the property at preseu
| paying taxes sustain this added bur
| den, but under the present law Their
IS no other recourse.
II the amendment carries and tn
legislature is empowered to. classif,
property so as to bring under the as
SCISSORS scrutiny the vast amount D
personal property now escaping taxa
| ton the revenues can be increase,
and taxes on lands and houses dimin
ished and what is more important thai
1 al VIC Will NC dUiC W QCfCiOp Jul le
sources, maintain our population an,
attract capital and people who vii
help to build up the state.
Ohio has recently changed its tai
laws and has already been benefite,
and Tennessee is about to renounc
the general property tax. Othe
states have either long since abolishe
it or are preparing to do so.
The present system In Kentucky wa
popular when the country was youn
and wealth largely confined to rea
estate which could not be hidden.
Wealth is now largely in persona
securities which the assessor can no
/ locate and in consequence this class o
property escapes almost entirely.
Can We afford to neglect this grea
question and yet hope to compete wit
neighboring states which are less ia
vored than ours naturally but hav
the advantage of cheap money and loy
| taxes?
| If the amendment fails to carry tn
next census will show that Kentuck
has moved down another peg or SO Il
its standing among the states an
those at present paying taxes will ir
evitably have to pay more on tn
same property while others will es
4 hxrk %lo.~