The sun., 1919-01-05
0PP0.ES LIMITING
TAX ON REALTY
Says Real Estate Is Ready to
Pay It's Share But Objects
to Added Burdens.
CONDEMNS INCOME TAX
DR.. Murray Favors New Law
Based on Commissioner
Merrill's Plan.
CONDEMNS INCOME TAX

Or. Dwight Henderson Murray.
heavy realty holder in this city and in
Syracuse where he lives. advocates the
repeal Of every tax law now on the
States statute books and the enactment
IN their place OF one simple tax law re-
curing all owners OF real estate and
personal property to pay their proper
tionntc share OF tax without favor to
either class. The best foundation for
tax law, he declares, Is to be found In
the PAPER read by State Tax Commits
sinor John ]. Merrill at the convention OF
Mayors held In last June. and he strong
" urges that the Mayors Committee on
Taxation, Of which Nathan Hlrsch is
chairman. embody Commissioner Mer-
rill's ideas in the bill to be recommended
20 the coming Legislature.
DIR. Murray agrees with Comptroller
Charles L. Craig that II Is not wise to
limit the tax rate on real estate in any
wss,-. Real estate. he says. should be,
taxes. but objects to bearing the burdens
put upon 1t by personal property.
IAN Income tax" he says. "is mere
make shift. a bit OF patchwork to be
added to our present tax laws. which
are all patches now. and such an addi-
tionfto our present law would force us
ini,e4few years to again go over this
same field for property 10 tax.
'.Comms sioner Merrill Is known to
be- one of the greatest tax experts in
che State. II not In the whole country.
and the Mayors committee could do no
better than to recommend the bill to
the coming Legislature based upon his
ideas. Moreover. he is at Albany where
he would be In position to steer tax
legislation to a successful Issue.
Commissioner Merrill says that we
have in this State more than 500, 000.-
100000 worth OF personal property OF
which only $1,000. 900 900 pays a tax
We have about sec. 900, 0oo, 900 OF real
estate assessed, of which about $4,000
@0c.GG0 Is exempt. leaving all taxes
except special Iev!es TO be paid by
1000 100000 total assessment. making
a tax rate OF upward OF twenty-five
mills on dollar. Taxing both real and
personal property without exemptions
of any kind. each paying its Just share
tho rate would not exceed five mills on
the. dollar. or less than 25 per cent Of
our last years rate.
Tn case the State or any municipality
should need additional money for special
purposes an increase OF only one mill
per dollar would bring an enormous
amount Of money and would scarcely be
felt by any taxpayer Then the health
school, police and fire departments could
be run on a basis OF we'll paid and salts
fed officials and the difference between
a living wage and the almost niggardly
wage now paid BY some municipalities
would scarcely be noticed by the tax
payers.
'"There is but one thing that an In
dividual or dollar gets from the Gov
eminent, and that is protection. and II
is only right that each dollar should
pay for It's own share of protection
Therefore realty and personal property
should be taxed exactly on the same
basis so that 10 one will be paying the
share OF another.
"A new tax law should provide. funda-
mentally. that every individual Of legal
age SHOULD make his or her own assess
ment. based upon full value OF property
but with 20 per cent. leeway to provide
for fluctuations in value. II the ASSESS
rlent Is proved to be false the State
should have tho power to confscate the
security. sell II and divide the surplus
equally between the former owner and
would be necessary
The effect OF such a law would be to
set the whole State and municipal gov
gning machinery at ease with money
enough forthcoming for all the neces-
stiles, everybody paying their just share
of expense. Factories would crowd into
this State. bringing additional employees
with them. No one would then be afraid
10 own his own homa or otner real estate
far tfert III &c i
ne more active. Il would be just as cheap
TO own a home as 10 rent one, instead Of
the opposite. as It Is to-day.
real estate securities would be active
and easily disposed and would be taken
as collateral at banks almost as readily
as a railroad or other bond which only
pays or 4 per cent. To-day II one
goes TO his bank for loan. Offering real
estate securities as collateral. he is
liable to be told that he must give Stock
Exchange securities that are liquid. that
real estate is no good"