Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-02-20


normal ANNA! expenditure ana there.
fore should he provided FOR by direc'
.ax2ton
The federal government $ very Likely
20 propose within l few weeks an *
,rao-din4ry program OF read cons;-uc.
,oa wh:c,, might require the state o.
Maine 10 find funds TO match a, .e sera
appropriation OF $4,000 II isIa-,s:l Ir
tie cass o: ;',e proposed Portsmouth
hittery bridge the combination OF many
favorable circumstances seems 10 max.
K oar 2 ain duty o authorize an ap-
preparation for Names share Of the
Necessary cost Furthermore the pres
en-, bridge Law by which the State % rs
with counties and towns in the con-
struct.on OF .arge bridges should Dc
radically changed along lines siHiiia.
70 those which have been successt ely
followed in the so-calied Siate-a;d = ]
law: that Is. the percentage OF the
Joint bridge .und furnished By the state
should increase in proportion TO he
cost OF the bridge as compared with he
resources of the towns in which lie
bridge IS located. In other words. 4
sliding scale should be devised SO tina,
small town that through, the accide1,
II natural location has an Expensive
bridge 20 build will receive from, me
State a YER II uch larger percentage
Of tie cost than the !nvariaole - ye.
cent. provided b! the present ,aw
These -omhined necessities create q sit
uat!o1 requiring extraordinary expendi-
lures n the next Few Years for high
way ana bridge construction. and
therefore. in my Judgment Justly the
issuance OF ad5itiona! tonds.
i therefore propose : constitutional,
amendment including t.i3ge coastruc.
ZION as well as highways in the pu-.
20 es for which bonds may be issued
inc-eaS ~ tie tota, amour. to, &, le2s;
s-"-f'sl il" and removing the restriction
w..ch TOW limits the rate o: irts-e.,
20 ! Per cent: this. with the purpose G:
providing the additional funds REQUIRED
20 match the federal money. furnishjoe
the auoun, needed for Names share D.
the cos: OF building the Portsmouth.
h.ttery bridge and authorizing the aav.
nlent from the sac o: bonds Of ,ae
amount N excess OF IT, regular arcvs'
appropriation o: Sic OH which nay il
necessary 20 meet the States snare >.
b:ilse construction under the pro -ossd
sliding scale
Authority should also be granted
for Resistance Of outstanding high
way bonds as they mature and for in
Vss;nent Of trust funds in these
bonds O. any other obligation Of The
State
Dependents Of Soidiers
You Will notice that The a:noun-
which may be required for re-
endorsement 70 towns for PAYMENT.
made 10 dependents OF soldiers ana
sailors Is no; included in the Bulge,
estimates. Il is not ye. apparen,
what actior ne Legislature will TAX.
III regard 70 this mater and even il
he proposed iaW mad already beer
passed i would bo impossible to IS.
innate loosely he amount REQUIRED u
meel us provisions suggest .hat
after the IA " has token final form. :
special TAX be assessed for the ear.
1880. the proceeds - bA .se.: 70.
;his purpose with the understanding
than airy balance remaining be Sc
aside as fund 20 he applied % .At
same purpose IN succeeding wears o.
lseJ Tor ne retirement q war bonds
Taxation
.'n~re seems TO b. an IMPRESSION j,
some quarters tEaI an appropriation
from the public treasury IS q net gain
TO the institution or locality ;nat be-
comes lie fortunate rec. pielt and IN
v2.vss I'd corresponding expenditure
or obligation. We cannot remind
ourselves TOO often that he public
treasury has no sources II revenue
except the pockets Of the people All
funds raised for public purposes ara
collected from he people by Girac,
OF indirect taxation. In accordance
with the Statute have indicated the
rate required 70 produce the reces-
sarE revenue for the proposed list o:
expenditures exclusive Of soldiers de-
pendents and the items for whic!! al
thorlty 10 issue bonds is requested. y
You will note thai the necessar,
rate Is seven mills. an Increase ot
onl: one mill over the rate prevail
ing during the past two years.
l shall make TO suggestion regard
inb changes in our taxation laws cx-
cept 10 renew the general recon-
mendation that you take some def
mite steps towards correcting the
glazing inequalities created hv our
present method of taxing. or rather
falling TO tax. intangible property
Property of this class TO the extern,
OF several hundred millions of dollars
is entirely escaping State taxation
BY vote O the people on September 5
1913. an amendmen, to the Consti
tuition was adopted which gives the
Legislature special authority 10 ley,
tax uporr@ntangible personal Prop
erty al such rate as il deems Wis, and
equitable without regard 10 the rate
applied 10 other classes of property
The people plainly intended by thi:
amendment 10 make possible action
by The Legislature 20 provide and en-
force just tax upon property of this
class. The situation has grown
worse rather than better in the las,
few years because he mortgage ex-
emption law pass i in 1911. instea d
of exemptinG the owner Of the prop
erty TO the extent of the mortgage
releases the money lender entirely
from the payment of taxes provided
his loan is secured by mortgage on
property within the State.
II the influence of wealthy holders
of intangible personal properly con-