Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-05-05

nave cASCeu 1Of tltue JUL VI mluu
not only in Kentucky but every state
IN the union to talk about putting
this class of property on the assess
ment roll unless the rate of taxation
is low, because it cannot be done. Wel
may theorize and talk about it as
much as WeSplease; we may denounce
tax dodgers until we are out of
breath; we may make out tax laws as
searching and severe as we please and
impose all the penalties. that can be
thought of, but by no one of all these
methods that have been tried many
times in every state can money or
intangible property be put on the
assessment roll when the rate Of
taxation is as high as local taxes are
in this State.
Three is no sentiment, no religion. no
politics about the matter of taxation.
1t Is purely a cold blooded business
proposition in which every taxpayer 10
trying to take care of himself and to1
more than his nieghbor or more than
a fair share of his income. In making
this blunt statement I am not telling
Know We View are De eoSfronfed yoS BY da
condition that we must meet and deal
with in a sensible way that will pro-
duce the best results. i know as well
dissatisfaction with the present sys-
tenn of tax laws, especially among the
land owners of the state and / include
in this. owners Of city and town lots as
we cannot find some way by which the
situation can be relieved at least for
the present and until we can look with
more care into the problem.
L want to say, however, at the outset
that it would be in my Judgment an
1nexcusable ,blunder for the people OF
the state to repeal the present laws
and return to the old system of ass
essment and taxation that was tried
for 25 years and found wanting. 1t
would result in driving from the state
and keeping out of the state the capi-
tai that we need so badly to develop
our natural resources. 1t would be
detrimental to every business and in
dustrial interest in the state, the farm
cause the useful business interests of
the state are SO closely identified with
each other that you cannot seriously
hurt one of them without hurting all
the others. l am therefore opposed to
a repeal o fthe present tax laws and a
return to the old system at least>until
the new law has had a longer trial and
its injustice, if any, has been demon
provisions. Let us amend it from time
to time to correct inequalities, and then
If 1t continues unsatisfactory find an
other plan. The experience of the last
two years has pointed out some correc-
tions that should be made and these
can be made without destroying the
system. shall call attention to one
that will, think, remove a good part
| of the present objections.
| also think you will agree with me
that every. helpful discussion of tax
BILE. sensible way. Violent unreason-
able talk will not accomplish anything,
nor will hasty< ill-considered action
/ cure and defects Approaching the
i g Uh haf he
objections to the new laws are ano
what the remedy. if any is.
The land owners complain first that
their land is assessed too high, second
4 that it bears the weight of the burden
4 of taxation third, that the man who
has money only pays 10 cents to the
ity; that the man who owns notes and
i bonds pays 40 cents to the state and
nothing to the local community, and az
IA result land is burdened with practi-
4 cally all the taxes imposed for county
Il city and town purposes.
i In answer to these objections 1 say
in a general way that 1 feel that the
land owners of the state would be
much better satisfied if their land wa.
assessed by their local authoritie.
without the interference or supervision
Iof any state taxing body or commits
sion. The nearer the taxing power.
are to the taxpayer the better salts
fed he is that no injustice will be done
him and the better opportunity he ha.
!, And later on in the course of my re
marks L intend to submit an amend
ment to the present law that will pro
lcept those Voted by him at the polls 10
local purposes or imposed by the loca
i lauthorities selected by him. / thinl
} 1 should also say that in making thes
]; statements l am not to be put in tn
J, latitude of either commencing or crit
I, ,licising the State Tax Commission TO
the manner in which it has performe'
should do this because the remedy
suggest will, if adopted, take from tn
Commission all power to assess land.
4 1t is next urged that it is unfair tina
lburder~of taxation and this is true, bu
/. there is no remedy for it that has eve
been discovered or put in the form O
Legislation. Landed property in tn
cry state where taxes are imposed, ha
u always borne the burden of taxation
And the reason for this is that proper
ty Of this nature hrd is = always Us before tn
: it can be hidden or concealed. Their
D is no method lby which the owner ca
, escape the payment of taxes upon i
AS q rule its fair market value is eas
lily ascertainable, at least approx
] mately SO, and so the taxing authori
I ties do not find the same difficulty i
I they find when they attempt to asses
8 other species of property of uncertai
p and luluctuating value.
: But aside from this there is anothe
? treason that tax authorities urge wh
J, lIand should bear a heavier burden (
: Taxation than other classes of proper
Atty, and that is. because land is the onl
: species of property that know of, I'll
: value of which is enhanced by taxation
| To make plain what | mean, the gres
3 bulk of taxation as | will present.
show collected both for local and stat
tpurposes is returned as soon as CO
e iiected to the counties of the state fe
: road and school purposes. And ever!
]. body must admit that good roads ar
y good schools enhance the value I
: lands. So that If the land owner COZ
r. tributes, for example, 500 in taxes ar
I. $50 of this S100 is spent in his count
I IN making good roads and good-schoo
: his land is certainly increased kp valu
q at least to some extent. But on I'll
& ftother hand no amount of money spel
i on good roads or schools or other pul
= lie improvements viii add one cent
q the value of a note or bond or 9th,
r Hike security or add one penny to Il
I value of cash that a man may have
d bank or in his pocket. And thereto
1x.<.e ffr< l1a a