Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1913-04-10
ATTACK MADE ON TAXATION Law

ATTACK MADE ON TAXATION LAW
The Progressive county committee of
Bonner county is purchasing advertising
space IN the newspapers Of that county
to call the attention to the voters to the
acts OF the recent legislature. In
current issue of one of these new spapers
IN an article under the caption,
"Whyf" A demand is made TO know
why the exemptions allowed to small
nome owners under the taxation laws
mas been repealed at the command of
Governor Haines who promised these
voters reduction in taxation. The
article follows:
Why did the Legislature composed of
a Republicans and Democrats and
Republican Governor Haines repeal
the exemption of improvements on lands
provided for by the law of 1927
Under the law of 1912 improvements
upon land to the amount of 5000 of the
~ per cent valuation, where improve
ments did not exceed $1,000 was ex-
empt from taxation. This was equiva-
lent to an exemption of $500 from the
total part of their burden. Indeed,
this exemption did not more than equal
ize the burden of taxation. 1t is no
torious that the large properties of the
state do not bear their Just share of
the tax burden, while the small pro-.
perty always bears its full share there
| of.
1t is notorious, also, that large bodies
OF land in this state are held for in
vestment or speculative purposes
Every property which is improved near
such land increases the investment
value of such land held for such pur-
poses. The exemption granted by the
1912 law to the extent thereof, removed
the penalty from the man who inn
proved his property. The law of 1913
reimposed that penalty by repeating
the law granting exemption.
Governor Haines in his message to
the Legislature laid special emphasis on
the repeal of this exemption law in the
following language:
81 am particularly impressed with
their suggestions Chose of the tax ex-
perts with reference to the amendment
Of our statutes in the matter of exemp-
tiOns.) Particularly do l believe that
the provision with reference to the
exemption on improvements on land
should be repealed as suggested by them
as the operation of this provision has
not been satisfactory. 1t has been
found from actual experience that the
small owner of property is just as anxi-
GUS and willing and generally as able to
pay the taxes assessed against his pro
perty as is the large property holder to
pay taxes assessed against his. -
To whom was the operation of this
law not satisfactory! Certainly it was
satisfactory to the man who got the ex
emption. 1t was not satisfactory to the
lumber companies and the railroads of
the state whose properties are now as
sessed too low as compared with other
properties. 1t has been found from
actual experience that the owner of
small properties pays his taxes because
he is willing to and must to save his
property, but is not willing to pay more
than his fair share of the burden. He
cannot, however, maintain lobby at
Boise or elsewhere to protect his rights.
The large property owner is not willing
to pay his fair share of the tax burden
and does not, and does maintain a
lobby to escape just as much of the bur-
den as possible.
| Governor Haines said in his speech
last fall that the voters of this state
should take their receipts to the polls
with them, and he promised the state a
business like administration, and a re.
ductiOn of taxation. He no sooner ac-
cepts the office than he recommends
the legislature to increase taxation on
the man least able to bear it, when such
action will result in benefit to those
best able to bear the burden.
Let every property owner in this
county who will not get the benefit of
this exemption this year remember that
a Republican governor and a Republi-
can legislature are responsible for the
action which will result in increasing
his tax burden and tightening the tax
burden of the railroads and lumber
companies and other large property
holders of the state. Take your re-
ceipts with you when you go to vote in
1914.