The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-04-20
srpress companIes snd Taxes


One OF the chief slogans OF the
last state campaign in Vermont was
the equalization OF taxation. II had
appeared that some OF the public
service companies were paying the
equivalent OF s. and even as low as
81 per thousand as compared with
500 and s25 by individuals in some
OF the towns. while the average indi.
vidual rate throughout the State was
about SIS per thousand.
The State republican platform de-
clared that the next General As
sembly should address itself serious
~ TO the task OF still further correct
ing such tax inequalities as It may
determine. after careful investigation
to exist and to be subject to a rea-
sonably certain remedy Other
party platforms made similar de
mands.
The General Assembly accordingly
made material changes in corpora.
tion taxation. II viii be recalled
that the alternative enjoyed by cei.
tain public utility concerns OF pay
ing on their appraised valuation or
their gross earnings enabled compan-
les outside OF the state TO juggle the
finances OF leased lines in Vermont
through excessive charges so that
the gross earnings on which they
a1arfg1 ~ nov taxac ttsar.
ingly small. with the conspicuously
unequal rates OF taxation quoted as
a result. One OF the first steps OF
the Legislature was to remove this
alternative and stop taxation accord.
ing to gross earnings. A second
step was to increase the rate on valu
alton in various instances.
The law relating TO the taxation
of express concerns was amended so
as TO read as follows: "A corpora
ton, association, joint stock com
pany or person transporting express
matter for hire from a point in this
State to another point herein shall
annually, on or before the fifteenth
day of October, pay a tax to the
State for the fiscal year ending on
the thirtieth day OF June next pro-
ceeding, which is hereby assessed at
the rate OF twenty dollars for every
mile of the routes or lines located
wholly within this State upon or
over which such corporation. associ.
alton foipt ctoctr onr,par.. ~ ,or
son transports, during such fiscal
year. express matter for hire be-
tween a point in this State and an
other point herein"
The law also requires of concerns
of this character the payment on or
before March / each year OF H.
cense tax for the privilege of doing
business in Vermont. and at the time
OF paying the license tax through the
tax commissioner the concern is also
to file with the State treasurer
bond guaranteeing the payment of
the regular valuation tax imposed
by the law as quoted.
We learn upon inquiry that two of
the United States express concerns
doing business in Vermont have fail
ed to file their returns, or pay their
license tax or file their bonds. Other
wise they may be said to have com
piled with the law In this respect
two Canadian express companies do.
ing business in Vermont have
shown the American concerns an ex-
ample as noteworthy as it is com
mendable. The offending American
companies furthermore have indicat-
ed their intention not to pay either
of the taxes imposed by the laws of
Vermont
The express companies which are
defying the people of Vermont can
not complain that they have been
abused. We have not interfered
with their business or their rates in
any way. We have simply asked
them through our Legislature to pay
a rate OF taxation more in keeping
than formerly with the rate Of tax
alton paid by our people as individu-
ais
Having paid taxes up to the pres
ent year, when the increase in taxa
ton will begin, the offending express