Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-06-06
TAX AMENDMENT
Amendment To Ohio Tax Law Au-
thorizing Classification of. Property
4 for Taxation To Be Submitted to
Electors of State at November
Election

The Ohio General Assembly has
submitted to the electors q proposal
to amend Section of Article IL of
the. Constitution to provide for the
classification of property for purposes
of taxation 'Y.f'4
The proposed amendment will be
soted on at the regular election, Nov
ember 4, 1910.
Here is the full text Of the amend
ment, with the proposed new matter
underscored.
I Section 2 All property shall be
faxed by such rules and methods and
IN such classes as may be provided by
4aw. The rules and methods shall
be uniform within the classes SO es-
tablished. But all bonds outstanding
on the first day Of january, 1913, Of
Ohio, or of any city, village, county
or township in this state, or which
have been issued in behalf of the
public schools, in Ohio and the means
of instruction in connection Herewith
shall be exempt from taxatien: and
burying grounds. public school houses
houses used exclusively for public
worship, institutions used. exclusive
ly for charitable; purposes, public
property used exclusively for any
public purpose and personal property
to an amount not exceeding in value
five hundred dollars, for each indivi.
dual, may, by general laws, be ex-
empted from taxation; and laws may
be passed to provide against ths
&ouble taxation that results from ths
taxing of both the real estate and
the mortgage or the debt secured
thereby, or other lien upon it: hui
all such laws shall be subject to al.
teration or repeal; and the value OF
time to time, be ascertained and puD-
dshed as may be directed by law.
The adoption of this amendment will
not change single law now on the
statute books, nor does it make a new
law. It merely gives the law making
body elected by the people authority
to deal with taxation questions on
their merits and to- meet the demands
of. ever-changing conditions.
Classification will protect present
tax-paying property, from further
burdens because it will bring out OF
hiding intangibles property that has
always evaded taxation. Unless pro
perty is classified for purposes Of
taxation real estate and tangible per.
sonal property viii be compelled te
ps.F for the ever-increasing cost Of
government.
Practically every taxing district
in the state is close to bankrupt
condition. The maximum tax rate OF
one and one-half mills is not giving
municipalities and schools mones
enough TO cond rct their necessary
public functions Unless. new sources
of revenue are found the present
taxpayers will be compelled to ado
to their tax payments.
With classification naapp forms. o1
taxes may be levied without increas.
ing the tax charge against property
now on the duplicate or without i'm
posing further double taxation OF
values that cannot be secreted < -
Under classification Al fair income
bax may be imposed; a low automo
bile tax that will be a big revenue
producer may be levied; cash in hanf
and in bank may be charged rats
that is not confscatory; mortgage.
may pay tax or fee that viii
bring them ont of hiding but. witf
out classification any of these take.
would be: unfair and sometimes con
] fscatory.