The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1918-01-31
LEGISLATORS FACE
kN0TTY PROBLEMS
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
SPONSORS BILL m HOUSE OF
20 TYPEWRITER PAGES.
HEAVY BURDEN ON INCOMES

Opponents Of State Tax Commission
Get SoiarpIexus When Adverse
Report ls Ordered on Watts
6lII-Melntyre Bill Liked.
Jackson.-Mr Everett Of Newton,
chairman of the ways and means com
mittee, introduced bill in the house
abolishing the privilege tax and plac-
ing the burden on incomes. The bill
covers 20 typewriter pages, the i'm.
portant part being found in section 5,
which mentions those exempted, as
follows:
(a) To an individual income up to
and including $500.
CD To husband and wife, $1,000.
+ (c) For each child under the age Of
$1S, 5000.
(d) For each additional person who
is actually supported and entirely de-
pendent upon the taxpayer for his sup
port, $500.
(e) The aforesaid exemption shall
not apply to incomes derived from
sources within the state by non-resi-
dents thereof, nor to copartnerships.
corporations, Joint stock companies
nor associations.
The rates are l per cent on the
first 81 900; l " per cent on the second
81 200 or part thereof; per cent on
the third $1,000; 21a on the fourth,
and so on to the twelfth $1,000, on
which the rate is Is per cent-all in
excess of that being Is per cent.
The opponents of the state tax COM
mission received their first jolt when
the house committee on ways and
means by a vote of 10 to 2 ordered an
adverse report on the Watts bill to
repeal the law creating the tax COM
mission. This vote in committee In
dicates that the opponents OF the tax
commission are losing ground in the
legislature and that they are in a mi
nority.
The house joint judiciary committee
has brought in a favorable report on
the bill introduced by Representative
W E. Mcintyre. of Rankin, known as
corrupt practice act" The bill linn
it's the amount of money that can be
spent by all candidates for public Of
flee in this state for campaign ,pur-
poses.
The only feature of the bill that has
encountered any serious opposition is
the provision regulating the campaign
expenditures of candidates for county
offices. Mr.. Mcintyre has indicated
that he might be willing to eliminate
that portion of the blk, thus making
the measure apply only to state, con-
gressional and district offices.
The bill by Mr.. Spears Of Marshall.
imposing tax on dogs. which passed
the house by decisive majority last
week, has encountered opposition In
the senate from Senators Casteel OF
Holmes, and Crawley of Attala, who
are seeking to tie tin can to the
measure I'm the shape of amendments
that will kill it.
Mr.. Spears promptly picked up the
gage of battle, and is sticking closely
to the senate end OF the capitol to see
what the upper branch proposes to do
with his bin. When the bill reaches
the final passage stage he will ask the
senate the privilege of the floor for
the purpose of answering the attacks
of Senators Casteel and Crawley.
There is custom in the Mississippi
legislature OF one house permitting a
member of the other branch to defend
or explain q bill, in the event that
the privilege of the floor is asked.
Section 81 OF the code must be re-
yised at this session OF the legislature,
n anything is to be done toward hit
ting the tax dodgers, In the opinion OF
many of the members Of both the SEN
ate and house.
That section of the CODE. as 1t
stands now, provides that any person
aggrieyed by the action OF the board
of supervisors or city council on the
question of assessment or taxes shall
have the right Of appeal to the circuit
court, and that the trial of such cases
shall be given preference over all 9TH
ers.
The senate has passed a bill grant
ing thirty day extension for tax col
lectors in which to make their settle
ments with the auditor.
New County Proposal Opposed.
The question of a new county with
Belzoni, the county seat, and taking a
part of Yazoo county, is again to b.
before the legislature. The people o.
Yazoo county are not willing to sur
render an acre, it is said, and will
fight for every inch of land to stay
within Yazoo's boundaries.
Leprosy Found ia Harrison County.
The Mississippi health authorities
will soon have to deal in serious,
NOV with the lanroSy DrOblom The