The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1920-09-23
ohio TAX RATE
WAS REDUCED BY
GOVERNOR COX
Called Special Session of
Legislature For Express
Purpose.
PROMISES REDUCTION
IN NATIONAL TAXES
Recommended That State
Tax Rate Be Cut One
GAx. TILE

lI1,,. Half.
AS an earnest of what James M.
Cox would do as president to fulfilling
his party's pledges for a reform of
the, onerous federal tax systems, his
work as Governor of Ohio in the cause
or tax reform in that state is inform
Ing. The Democratic platform plainly
declares for a tax reform, a searching
revision of the war revenue acts to
Mt peace conditions. and complete
survey Of existing taxes and their
notifications and simplifications
Governor Cox in his speech of ac-
ceptance declared that federal taxa
ton must be heavily reduced and that
this would be done at once if a Demo-
cratic administration were chosen in
November. His complete accord with
the declaration and spirit of his
party'S platform pledge is not the
ready adaptation of an opportunist.
dor for reform of the system what
ever needed began in his first term as
Governor Of Chio-and bore fruit in
that very term.
On July 20. 1914. Governor Cox did
the unprecedented thing of calling
the legislature of Ohio in special ses-
sion for the sole purpose of reducing
the state tax levy. This was the i'm
mediate result of the tax reform law
passed the year before.
His message calling the special ses-
sion and submitting the question of a
reduction in the tax rate has an al
most apologize tone that possesses an
element of humor, but besides that it
grasp of the subject of taxation and
an ardor for an equitable system that
characterizes his administration as
governor.
Urged Cutting Rate One Half
The state tax levy had been 1910
Il a
that it be cut to 1880 mills, more
than half. This reduction made the
state levy the lowest i nthe history of
Ohio, and the governor estimated that
1t would effect a saving to the people
of approximately 100000 The re-
duction in the rate was made posi-
BILE, he explained. because the state
had an intelligent and efficient tax
listing system. which had resulted in
hundreds of millions of dollars in
personal property going on d .,licate
that year for the first time.
Governor Cox's message stated that
the increase in the amount of the tax
duplicate for 1914 over 1913 would be
approximately $1,000, 100000 princi-
pally in the intangible property of in
dividuals and the property of incor-
porated companies. In view of this,
he declared that I'VE should now ded-
icate our efforts to the all important
task of conveying to the people the
relief a beneficial system makes posi-
BILE The state should take the lead
. in the reduction of the tax rate, de-
pending upon a vigilant public opinion
TO compel the same action in the
counties, municipalities and% town.
ships"
A situation where the imposts lev
led upon the people of a state flowed
into its Golfers in such an abundance
that the taxing power of the state was
called upon to reduce the rate was an
extraordinary one. For that reason,
perhaps, the governors message went
in detail into the history of taxation,
its defects and successive attempts at
reform in Ohio.
In the early eighties 1t was the
practice to support the state depart
nnents, in large part, by direct taxa
ton The unfair and inefficient sys-
tern of listing property for taxation
had led to such serious consequences
in the fiscal affairs of the state that
Governor Foraker in 1886 in a special
m essa gs to the legislature suggested
reforms in the tax system. including
the appointment of a State Board of
Equaliza ton to supervise. as we'll as
revise and equalize the valuations to
be made
Ear1y Tax Reform Enorts.
Agitation for tax reform continued
under successive state administrations
and sincere attempts by the law
making powers to devise an equitable
system appear to have been made, but
abuses persisted despite these efforts
and the realization of public intelli-
gence to the injustice of things. A
commission appointed by Governor
MCKINLEY had recommended the APP
pointment of a State Tax Commission,
to which the listing of public utilities
would be assigned. and the appoint
ment Of assessors.
But though. Governor Cox's MESA ge
states, 1.-The report of the Mckinley
Commission was a vital thing no
action was taken on it until Governor
Harmon renewed discussion of the
subject resulting in the formation OF
the State Tax Commission The Nc
Kinley Commission had shown in
1892 that the entire valuation of rail
road property was but l05,6Oo,Ooo
while the horses of the STATE were list
ed for almost half that amount GOV
ernor Harmon made use OF the show
ing Of the commission of these more
or less grotesque returns 10 arouse
public sentiment and the service OF
the State Tax Commission in listing
public utilities soon demonstrated the
wisdom Of its appointment.
A long stride had been made In the
direction of tax reform in Ohio. bu
the full program Of revision advocated
by The best thought on the Sub1ec
WAS NOT achieved until later. VIVA
tine defects OF the system were and
how they were corrected are succlnct
~ stated in the governors message:
The Situation in taxing affairs
whs1s the present administration came
into being wss as follows:
There had been an adequate as
-1hsrnent OF the property of public
utilities and banks and of real esta tie
All OF which was done under the su
sperTissOu OF the Tax Comm ission o
Ohio There had been an increase o
S4oOe.G0O, 900 in these classes o
property OF individuals and the prop
erty OF incorporated companies wer'
IT. - in
state that were not listed by the Ta-
Commission. or under its supervision
So that while the four billions of dol
lars increase to real estate, publ
utilities and banks had brought abou
g reduction in tax rates, the owner
Of individual property and incorporat
ed companies shared in that reduction
without havi1e ;acreased their va!ua