Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-18
Rerenue Suggestions

II our present revenue could be in
creased twenty per cent. or say, by
$4,000 600. great things could be done
in line with tho progressive ideas which
are now strongly impressed upon the
minds of Our people. There are some
ways in which tbs could be done with
out hardship to anyone and without dis
arranging the general taxation plans
of the state.
Perhaps the most practicable plan. in
that the slight burden it would impose
would be very widely distributed and
large proportion Of Il would come
from bcncticiarics Of Pennsylvania $
natural resources living elsewhere, would
be found in small ad valorem tax upon
xuaI. We have great problem to
meet in all of our coal mining districts,
and especially in the anthracite region,
in making provision against the depe-
ton Of the coal areas. in guarding
against prosom. end future dangers in
T ".d"ut 10 the industry and in making
r"pnration Uf damage to public and rri-
vatr property, 10 the communities and
to the whole prospect Of life there. The
same situation is becoming more ap-
parent in the htumihOus fields. We
cannot longer sit here in snug indiffcr-
enc" to our responsibilities as officials
and rs citizens. The men and women of
another generation will wonder what
sort of folks lived in this state in the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries as
they contemplate deserted and ruined
cities. abandoned industries and desc
lat" wilderness where once were tccming
communities. and realize that little
foresight might hav" saved, or Ht least
mitigut"d. such conditions. We may
make start toward meeting this grave
question and at the same time help
the mining counties. while we are Sc
/ curing for the state the funds which il
will need for its own benchCent pur-
poses.
II vii. bc recalled that few years
ago an net was passed levving Il tax
upon anthracite coal but this enact.
mrut was later declared uncOnStitu
. ti0nal hv the Supreme Court because II
was Discriminatory in It's provision that
only one kind Of coal should be subject
to taxation. 1t will. therefore. be nee
rSSary to include soft coal production in
our plans this time if We are to take
action in this direction. \ small per
/ c"ntagr tax upon the value of coal prO
duoCd at the mine. and which would
I Yield an average Of, say, four cents pei
TON upon bituminUuS coal and eight
cents per ton UpOn anthracite. would
AT the present rate of production. yield
gross revenue Of about Sl6,OOO 900
50 great are our shipments of fuel. The
state should retain 60 per cent of this
amount for the benefit of all of thu
peOplr of the commonwealth; 20 pei
cent should b. returned 70 the "ountie'
from which it originates to relieve loca
taxation and for permanent improve
mcutS. and the remaining 20 per Ccn'
should 60 into fund to be administered
,hv rrpnratiOns commission or possibly
hv Il bureau in the Department Of Public
Welfare. which | shal! later suggest
IT, be- applied to rCStoratiuns, repairs
rebuilding and remrdying generally tn
conditions existing in the coal regions
The SURPLUS Hccumulatlons from thi
fund might be placed in a trust undo
pruuer restrictions, which would, within
Il REASONABLE time. yield sufficient incom
t. insure the permanent hNbitabiIity ant
development of our truly devastated sec
4 lions.
The tax upon coal. if administered a
outlined above. would in itself com
near to meating our reasonable require
nentS 1t should be accompanied b.
legislation which would prevent the al
dition of larger sums than were ac
tually paid to the costs of coal 10 tn
consumer as compensation for taxes
This will prevent any eoUGing OF tn
public or any excuses regarding th
costs OF collection