New-York tribune., 1919-01-19
Single Tax Theories

Single Tax Theories
Among those who are opposed to all
forms OF the single tax there are many
who are opposed to taxation of tangibl p
personal property, yet who are not suf
hclentiy numerous to get such property
entirely relieved from taxation. Thov
nave been able, however, to so conpli-
cate and confuse the entire system of
taxation OF personality as to make the
results of all effort along that line
costly, lnequitable and grossly unsatis-
factory everywhere in the United
States, but probably worse here in New
YORK CITY than anywhere else. The
absurdlty OF this tax in this great citv
is shown by the fact that the assess
ment in 1905 was over s69O.O00 600
Whlle last year it was only S25l 600 600.
and by the further fact that as against
TINS last item the assessment o. real
property was over $8 ,339 600 600.
" course this situation, because of
Its apparent absurdity, has led manv
people to believe that there is some
lhlng radically wrong in the adminis
tratIon of the law And this is demon
sIraDly so; yet the situation has ex-
ls1ed as 1t is for generations is known
10 every pubicist and every business
mIan-yet nothing is done to cure it.
pe'ter to exempt tangible personally
ana evidences of debt entirely from
ta%atlon than to have the current con-
dltlon continue, yet there is no agree
mehI upon any method of reform.
Ovcrtaxcd Real Estate
the owner of a house in which he has
ms nome, which is worth. say. SD 600
ana is assessed at $4,000. finds his
YAK bl'l OF 1917 500, grown in 1918 to
$50. lie could rent the house possihlv
1or $500; so that his contribution to
the cost Of government is over 26.5 per
cent Or the income from that property.
A good little p cce Of invostrnnnt mon
erty IS producing about $5,400 a wear
oyer costs OF operation and upkcep.
The tax bill is $i,25O.SO equal To- % rs r.;
per cent Of the income This latter
would be the approximate rate of taxa
ton of the greater part of the fullv
improved property in the city. Ninetv
nlne per cent Of it would doubtless
lie between 20 per cent and 25 per
cent of the net rents.
But the tax rate is the same on un-
productive property meaning tie va
cant and the under improved. or "old -
properties, and in a declining market
Tor such property every check drawn
Tor taxes produces from the owner only
groans of anguish, unless it is cusses;
1T depends upon the degree of spiritual
deve opment of the check drawer. I'm
less he got his property so cheap that
ne can sell at profit his candle is
burning at both ends. But that is an
other question only incidentally bear
ing on this subject of taxation. The
implication is that vast quantities of
real estate in this city pay taxes equal
20 and far beyond income. OF course,
most or all of this stuff could be made
to produce q satisfactory net income if
it was properly improved Else it
Won q not be taxed as it is
There are many organizations in
this city and country that have made
this subject of municipal taxation a
matter for special investigation, study
and report. In its general bearings
the National Tax Association has pre-
sented the latest and probably the best
report. This body, made up of ex-
pcrts from al parts of the country in
cluClng tax commissioners of several
Of the states professors from the
larger universities, lawyers Of reputc
and well-known economists, has been
Tor years at work upon the problem
At It's twelfth annual convention
held in st. Louis last fall, it re-
celvcd the report of special commit
tee appointed to prepare a plan of q
model system Of state and local taxa
tlon, which, having received the unani-