Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-02-15

hcsc tables made by Board Of State Assessors
"bNoSy suggest their interpretation that little ii any
explanation is needed II may, however, be permissible TO say
that the list of 10 cities and towns that assessed all
on ntangibe with 500 other in the same cate
CORY including decrease of years. together
with the apparent Inequality and nadequacy Of the assessment
TIE ctles and towns that pay the bulk Of the
ibis glass Of property. disclose condition that is intoerabe
HON the standpoin ii justice and warrants the inference
hat but traction Of the intangible property actually held in
hls state disclosed. In of these Statistics the
opinion OF those who have had great experience upon
on and accomplished results in the that have adopted
le plan it would prudent conclusion that the
5Ssesmen Of ntangbes in this state upon : mill basis
would soon produce at least equal that
ccIycd from this class Of property. Nor do think would
e mdugng undue speculation predict that from
1s source will be gradually augmented Accordingly your
committee Of the opinion that the general property
aN plan should be abandoned, and plan adopted.
Before proceeding to statement Of the reasons for the
preference Of plan the other should be here noted
that f purpose and end of each plan all prac-
ca purposes the and accomplish practically the
results. In other words the plans the goal
by different Having, therefore, briefly presented the
reasons for adopting Of the plans open and furnished
sits far available showing the practical operation of
each plan. we meet the inquiry which plan is to be
preferred The decision Of this question depends largely upon
The conditions Of adaptahity.
Wisconsin and Massachusetts, have the income plan An
Of the Massachusetts, will reveal
difficult and complicated law. After much discussion
and adverse report y tc able commissioners of Iooz
The income tax finally considered the better plan partc,-
larry iii view Of the amount of intangible wealth
he found i'll the ConmopWeah. In Wisconsin this method
has become established Yet in answer an
qulry whether The level income plan should be adopted
in Maine the Wisconsin Tax Commission returns the follow
ing "We understand that your law does not con-
indie
other II in this only the income
intangible securities could be taxed SUCH and should
consider it nadvsabe the necessary income tax
chinery for limited class Of income If the work
done we'll the expense may be almost probve, and the
esary machinery out of proportion the yield which could be
expected Moreover if any exemptions allowed
given elsewhere owners of moderate amounts of securities
could not be reached all The exemption would Offset the
amount Of income received from this 1t is prob
able that exemption Of less than 5000 would be allowed
and that would cancel the income Of $4,000, assuming so
rate III opinion low fiat would be simpler and better
suited TO the requirements Of your situation The experience
Of Maryland Pennsylvania Minnesota Iowa would be more
helpful to you this connection than any data furnish
as we have such law IN this state. The advantages of
flat rate income the greater simplicity in levy
ing and collecting the and the greater resulting
thererom if exemptions are to be allowed.
Professor Bullock expressed ycur committee the same
view and the same above suggested in favor of the
leFei rate tor Our cities large and or
wealth IS not concentrated the great commercial states
ae more Or less distributed throughout many Of the thrifty