The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-05-14
Supplemental Report Of Committee on
Tax Reform Shows Conclusively
Present Tax Law Is Unsatisfactory.

- -
n character of the questions and the al
swers elected, etc., and is justified
n concluding that interest heretofOr
manifested in taxation and revenue
is statewide and bespeaks the assis
i. lance Of the Press" of Montana il
disseminating the information obtain
ed and the conclusions, which are un
doubtedly emphatic and directory.
Approximately three thousand ques
tionnaries were sent out and abou
two thousand replies were received
and tabulated. Numerous suggestions
showing careful thought and consider
alton and of material assistance to the
committee were received. All but
three counties in the State were heard
from; Ravalli County being first in
the number of answers received, with
a total of 275; Roosevelt County sec
ond with 246 and Lewis and Clark
County third with ITS.
| Following are the questions contain
ed in the missionaries together with
brief resume and analysis of the ans
| wers received showing conclusively
that large majority of the taxpayers
are in favor of the revision of the
tax law as now in effect.
Question No. do you favor the
classification of properly for taxa
ton purposes? Answers: 1866 Yes"
and 425 NO.
Question No. 2-Do you believe that
all calsses of property should bear
the same proportion of the burdens
of taxation? Answers: 1874 "Yes"
and 655 NO.
1t is apparent from the answers to |
questions number one and two, that
the questions were not fully under
stood. Letters sent in supplementing
the questionnaries, reveal the fact
that majority believed that question
number one referred to the classified
ton of land and not to all property
in general and the answer to ques-
ton number two would also indicate
this to be fact, inasmuch as an answ-
or in the affirmative to question num-
Der one would necessarily bring a
negative answer to question: number
wo, or vice versa.
question No. 3-Do you approve of the
present law exempting mortgages
from taxation? Answers: 500 Eyes"
and 948 NO.
The majority of the answers to this
lestion show conclucively that the
ceiling is, that evidences of debt, Sc
ured by mortgage on real or per- ;
onal property in Montana, should not ,
e exempted from taxation; but that
ome provisions should be made where
y the mortgage would not be permit
I'd to pass the tax, on such evidence 4
Indebtedness, to the mortgager or ?
lie party borrowing money.
uestion No.4-Are you in favor of
constitutional amendment permit
ng the exemption of 5000 worth of
household furniture to each family?1 T
Answer: 1927 Yes" and 3S9 mo" r
The question of allowing an exemp-
On of a specified amount on personal =
operty seems to be the practice al
ost universally, throughout the Unit
States, OF the forty-eight states, r
even only, have no exemption on r
usehold goods. This fact would indi-
tie that there is an almost unanim- i
S belief that this class of property Il
ould not be required to pay a tax
lie answer to the missionaries
ow, very forcibly, that law of this
aracter is deemed desirable.
Iestion No. 5-Do you favor the tax y
alton of income? Answers: 1441
Yes and 291 NO.
Real estate and personal property
: how carrying as great tax bur- =
n as they can stand and in order to
'rease the revenue to the STATE, nee
'ary to the operation of the dicerent
)-divisions of our Government, it is
perative that some other means be r
,vided, other than that of placing a p
'ater burden on real estate and per- -
Ial property. -
number of states now have a
cessfully operated income tax {: ",
it is regrettable fact that the
( Commission, upon whose should =
rest the responsibility for the
sent law, after two years investi-
ion and an expenditure of $4,000 -
not make recommendation along
Zine to the Legislature, when max -
their report of recommendations
,stion No 6-Do you favor tax of -
per cent on gross receipts from ~
1tgoing and incoming business of
rpress companies? (Our present u
W is ~ per cent and some neigh r.
bring states have per cent? Ans =
ers: 1850 Eyes" and 257 NO. -
he wording OF this question is
ewhat misleading and should read
gross receipts from business done u
lin the state" This in ecect is a