El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-12-30
TAXES IN TEXAS
NEED ADJUSTING
State Controller Says Legis-
lature Should Take Steps
to Remedy It.


ing that steps be taken to correct the
present evil Of low assessments in
certain counties. and making a num-
Der of other suggestions to the gov
ernor and the legislature. state con-
troller H. B. Terren's annual report
is OF considerable interest TO the tax
payers Of Texas.
He suggests the adjustment Of the
office OF state tax commissioner. the
repeal of the statute creating a state
purchasing agent. and the enactment
Of a law allowing each department
to buy its own stuff on bids; the
creation Of a state board Of control
for all state eleemosynary institu-
tons; the levying OF gross receipts
taxes on many institutions not now
paying, such as, for instance. water
works and light plants in all towns
OF over $500 population instead Of
over 10000 population as at present.
GiarinE Tax Inequalities.
OF taxation. he asserts that glazing
inequalities exist in every county in
Texas
This inequality not only exists as
between counties and sections OF the
state but in q county where the same
county board passes on all values we
find property situated in the same
value. seemingly. rendered so per cent
higher in one instance than the
other" says he.
Cattle, for instance, owned By the
same man and in the same pasture
which. however, covers portions of
two counties, are rendered at IS per
head more in the one than the other,
and yet they al belong TO the same
herd.
aShaan IN T.s,-, ,,,,,,,+-- ~. -,
at 81 per head, in Frio county $3.50
per head and in Noakum s. per head.
Horses and mules in Andrews county
are rendered at $50 per head and in
Delta county at SO. Cattle in CAL
houn county are rendered At $3.50 per
head and in Andrews county $3.50
per head In Jim HoEg county they
are rendered at 81 per head. while in
Neuces county in the same section Of
the state they are rendered at SO.
Inequalities Everywhere
The same condition exists in city
property As result OF this system
many counties OF the state are not
contributing one dollar 10 the support
OF the state government, but on thu
contrary are a charge against the
state. Such a system Is a reflection
on the lawmaking body OF tie STATE
and should call for serious consfdera-
ton at its hands.
The creation Of a state board OF
equalization. even admitting that its
powers would be limited BY the con-
stiution' is important az this time,
though, in my judgment, Il will not
solve the question.
The separation Of state and county
taxes Is the only solution Of this
problem Let the state raise its revs- I
nue. through occupation. franchise.
gross receipts, Inheritance tax and
other such sources. while the coun- !
ties should be left free to raise such
funds as their needs dictate by an ad I
valorem tax
The pistol Law
Article 1880 provides that dealers /
IN pistols must pay a gross receipts (
tax TO the state equal 10 so per cent
OF their gross receipts. This law IS I
a dead letter and ought 10 be re-
pealed- Only one concern in Texas I
makes report 70 the controller un-
der this article and that concern
pays less than $50 per year to the
state. Il Is a well known fact that
pistols can be rented in almost every
hardware store in Texas. let thel-
legislature repeal this law and place I,
an occupation tax on dealers in pis- j,
tolls, thereby securing considerable T.
revenue 70 the state. This VIII also
compel respect OF our laws.
To Tax @Soft Drinks h
"A gross receipts tax should be
placed on the manufacture and sale
of all sOcalled soft drinks in this E;
state equal 70 one percent OF their !
gross sales Provision should also be
made for the inspection OF all such
thinks manufactured or offered for
ale, for which an inspection fee shall
'e charged. This should be placed
under the supervision OF the pure 7
God department. These provisions !
VIII produce annual revenue amount !
ng to 100000. Practically all the =
zig brewerles OF the country have s
,een converted into soft drink estab- =
The Anheuser Busch Brewing asso- c
iation. anticipating the demand for Y
oft drinks on account OF the wave Of z
Prohibition sweeping over the coun- a
y. began some three or four years a
go, the erection OF an immense plant
or the manufacture OF soft drinks. ]
his plant IS several times larger 2
han the one formerly used for the
lanufacture Of beer, and said TO be Z
he largest Of its kind in the world. !,
which, TO some extent, shows the :
-rowth Of this business and the i
rofits necessarily derived from same. ! q
urely this great industry should be 4
equired to contribute to the support ! h
Z tie uOvnrwunnuf