The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-11-28
EQUITABLE
TAX 7 LAW
PROPOSED
Legislation Will be ImpOr-
tuned to Amend the
Constitution
HIVES BUREAU Al sTATE cApITALI

LINES BUREAU Al STATE CAPITAL
INDIANAPOLIS. Nov. 2s.-A pro-
posed amendment to the Indiana
constitution enabling the passage
Of a more equitable tax law than
is now possible und the terms Of
the basic law win be submitted TO
the legislature which convenes IN
January.
That tbs tax amendment. proba-
bly, one not so broad as the one
submitted to a special election Sept
s, 1921. as well as five other pl O.
posed amendments which were
turned down by the voters last year
viii be again started on their jour
ney through the assembly mem
bers OF the legislature have indi-
Gated IN requests for information
presented to the bureau OF legisla-
tive information.
The amendments. considered for
presentation to the Assembly are:
Ito enable the assembly to en-
act tax law permitting OF the
classification OF property.
2-An income tax law amendment
3-An amendment to permit OF
the classification or cities. towns.
townships and counties for regis
tratfon. The purpose would be to
enable the legislature to require
registration In large cities, but dis
pense with the practice in rural
communities.
ito make the office or state su-
p7rintendent Of public instruction
appointive instead OF elective
5.-An amendment to permit OF
the establishing OF qualifications OF
persons admitted to the practice Of
law.
All OF these subjects we're sub
mitted 70 the people in the special
election last year and were rejected.
Only one OF the thirteen amend
ments which were submitted at
that time passed. This was the
requiring a person to
be citizen in order TO vote.
IN addition to these amendments
It is possible that another one OF
the unlucky thirteen again will be
presented This Is the amendment
which will enable the governor to
veto an item in an appropriation
bill
The league OF Women Voters is
also proposing an amendment to
simplify the method Of changing
the constitution. AT present the
requires that the
change can be made only after two
successive legislatures has passed
the amendment and then II must |
be approved by a majority OF said /
electors" when 1t is presented to /
the people at an election. The /
proposed amendment would provide I
hat the passage OF the amendment I
Is obtained ~ the favorable vote |
of majority voting on the pro-
position"
IN the past many amendments
submitted at elections have failed
because so many electors fail to |
vote on them. The suprems court .
las held that a amendment to be
approved must have the majority Of
LII the voters voting IN the election.
1t was because OF this peculiar
condition that the thirteen amend
nents were presented TO a special
election last year. 1t has been
earned by experience that all
amendments fail when presented at
general election because Of the
Of many voters who
onfine their balloting to candi-
Lates.
Representative Pittenger. Of Del
ware county. who is q candidate
or speaker Of the house. is inves-
igating the tax situation and may
ponsor the introduction OF ths tax
Because OF the increase in taxa
ion due primarily to the expendi-
ures for roads and schools the in
quality of present tax system is
eing aecentuated. Most of the
urden OF taxation, it IS pointed
ut, now falls on real estate and
ther property which can not be
idden. The heavy burden on real
state Is tending to force invest
lents into bonds. stocks and other
ltangibles. One OF the objects Of
he proposed change Is to enact a
Justification tax law which would
ring intangibles out Of Kidding.
Tn tax amendment passed by the
e19 and 1921 assemblies and voted
own last year was fought by manv
lterests principally on the ground
nat is was too broad" Many large
lterests were afraid to place un-
mited authority in the hands Of
le assembly in the natt-r Of taxa :
on. Some Of those who fought the {
mendment and financed q cam {
align to defeat It would have fav- {
-ed It had the change rnerely yer 1
itt7d OF a classification Of prop :
-ty for assessment and retained 5
her restrictions The text of the Y
sfeated amendment is as follows: :
The general ass >mbly shall pro- :
de by law for a system OF taxa +
on"
This. # was declared. was the
Iuivalent of striking out OF the
any reference to taxa
hatover on the Legislature.
TPG pHHTTPC