The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1920-05-21
QUESTIONABLE
BRINGS RESULTS
QuestiOnnaires Sent Out by Tax
Reform Committee Answer
ed by Over TwO-Thirds.
THREE THOUSAND Sent OUT
Supplemental Report of Committee or
Tax Reform Shows COnclusively
That Present Tax Laws Is
Unsatisfactory.

The committee on tax reform ap-
pointed by the state association of
county officials in convention last fall
at Miles City, adopted the plan of
sending out questionnaires to the tax
payers throughout the state in an eff
fort to ascertain by this means, the
consensus Of opinion Of the taxpayers
or matters of taxation.
The members of the committee at
this time, feel that the public is en-
titled to know what is the sentiment
throughout the state in respect to the
character Of the questions and the ans
wers elected, ETC., and is justified in
concluding that interest heretofore
manifested in taxation and revenue,
is statewide and bespeaks the assist
anee of the "Press" Of Montana in
disseminating the information obtain
ed and the conclusions, which are I'M
doubtedly emphatic and directory.
Approximately three thousand ques-
t%ionnaires were sent out and about
two thousand replies were received
and tabulated. Numerous suggestions
showing careful thought and consid-
Grafton and of material assistance to
the committee were received. All but
three counties in the state were heard
from; Ravalli county being the first
in the number of received,
with a total of 275; Roosevelt county
second with 246 and Lewis and Clark
county third with ITS.
Following are the questions con
tanned in the questionnaires together
with a brief resume and analysis of
the answers received showing conclu-
sively that a 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 property for tax
alton purposes? Answers: 1866
eyes" and 425 "No."
Question No. 2-Do you believe that
all classes of property should bear
the same proportion Of the burdens
of taxation? Answers: 1874 EYES,
and 655 "No."
1t is apparent from the nswer to
questions number one and two, that
the questions were not fully under
stood. Letters sent in supplementing
the questionnaires, reveal the fact that
a majority believed that question num-
Der one referred to the classification
Of land and not to all property in gen
eral and the answers to number two
would also indicate this to be a fact,
inasmuch as an answer in the affirm
alive to question number n would
necessarily bring a negative answer
to question number two, or vice versa,
Question No. 3-Do you approve Of
the present law exempting mort
cages from taxation? Answers
500 eyes" and 948 "No."
The majority Of the w to this
question show conclusively that the
feeling is, that evidences Of debt, Sc
cured by a mortgage on real Of per-
sonal property in Montana, should not
be exempted from taxation; but that
some provision should be made where
by the mortgage would not be per.
mitted to pass the tax, or such evil
dence of indebtedness, to the mort
gagor or the party borrowing the mon.
ey.
Question No. 4-Are you in favor OF
constitutional amendment permit
ting the exemption of 5000 worth OF
household furniture to each family ?
Answers: 1927 eyes" and 389 "No.'
The question of allowing an exemp.
ton of a specified amount of personal
property seems to be the practice al.
most universally, throughout the Unit.
ed States. Of the forty-eight states
eleven only, have no exemption or
household goods. This fact would in.
dictate that there is an almost unan.
imous belief that this class of prop.