Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1920-11-25
REAL4f "irSEoUALiTY IN tx
arty owners Are Declared Part
" to Blame.

Real estate men and property OWN
ers themselves are partly to blame
for the present inequality in taxes
for the reason that they have not
been sufficiently energetic and scien-
tific in placing the true facts before
the general public and fighting Wig
orously for the principles which they
know to be right This opinion is ex-
pressed by f. &. Taylor of Portland,
president of the National Association
of Real Estate Boards in an article
appearing under the heading Tax
alton" in the current issue Of the
National Real Estate Journal of
Chicago
Mr.. Taylor quotes the taxation com
mittee of the national association to
show that real estate now bears
about 80 per cent of the tax burden
! in the United States and that the re-
naming 20 per cent is borne by in
tangibles, personal property, banks,
public service institutions and mis-
cellaneous subjects. According to the
taxation committee the tax burdens
should be apportioned as follows;
Real estate, 35 per cent; business ~
per cent; mercantile commodities 10
per cent; personal income II per
cent: miscellaneous subjects per
cent.
Property owners and real estate
men, as we'll as students of the sub
iect of taxation, are realizing more
than ever the need of a change IN
the methods now followed in raising
revenue for public use," says Mr..
Taylor. anyone who has ever given
deliberate thought to the subject
knows that real estate has too long
carried an unfair proportion of the
tax burden.
Tax Burden Is Cited.
"There is a group of manufactur-
ers who make the claim that real es-
tate pays no share of the federal
taxes and through their influence the
Nolan bill has been introduced in
congress. Ignoring the fact that real
estate carries nearly all of the state
county and municipal tax burden
these manufacturers contend that
the real property of the United
States has an aggregate value OF
about SIPS, and that a
l per cent tax on all real estate hold
ings over $4,000 would bring an
annual revenue of one billion. In
asmuch as the annual expenditures
of the United States government are
now about four or five billions the
effect of such legislation as the No
Ian bill would be to reduce federal
taxes about 20 or 25 per cent, they
argue.
Real estate did not profit by the
war activities, being about the only
commodity which did not soar up
ward in price. On the other hand,
most manufacturing concerns did
profit immeasurably as result of
war influences. On the basis of this !
simple comparison, and in view of
the additional fact that real estate
already bears a considerable major
ity of all local taxes, it seems to us
that it would be most unfair to shift
a still greater tax levy upon real
which is already burden
ed heavily.
Income Declared Burdened.
Furthermore, the income from
real estate is subject to the income
and excess profits taxes and all rent
al agents are obliged to make sworn
to the government in all
instances where real property earns
more than a moderate income.
''The time has arrived when the
American people should give serious
to the present tenden-
,ies of taxation and ponder over the
TACT that the power to tax carries
with it the power to destroy. The
public must be educated and it is
Incumbent upon the realtors OF the
country to suggest such legislation
II corrective measures as will insure
safe and sensible course for the
uture
Land is of such nature that it ,
annot be hidden from tax assessors
md tax collectors which furnishes D.,
eady explanation of the inequality ,
n taxes, but the real estate men and J.,
property owners themselves are part :,
y to blame for they have not been
energetic and scientific 9
n placing the true facts before the
eneral public and fighting vigorous
Y for the principles which they r
now to be right. II
Figures Are Assembled