The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-07-10
WALKER URGES A
TAX COMMISSION
SUGGESTS SPECIAL MEETING
IN FALL AND SHORTENING
OF PRESENT SESSION.

Asserting that in three elections the
people Of Georgia have issued an un-
Unstable mandate for the repeal of the
tax equalization law and the adoption
of tax system that will shift part
of the tax burden to intangle proper
ty, Governor Walker Thursday trans
mitted to the legislature what he
terms Suggestive message" dealing
with the problem Of taxation.
The governor carefully refrained
from making any recommendations
of his own reference to revision of
the tax laws He calls attention to
suggestions that have come to him
from various sources, and while COM
mending such suggestions to the earn
est attention of the assembly he
adopts none of them as his own.
Suggestions that have been made
for revising the tax system, the gov
ernor points out, include a classitlca-
ton tax, stamp tax, an income tax
and he calls attention to the systems
involving these methods that have
been adopted in other states.
Mr.. Walker suggests the creation
of a special commission to study the
needs of the state in taxation, and the
calling OF a special session later in the
year, after this committee has had time
to complete its investigations and
made its report and recommendations.
To do this he suggested, also, that
the legislature might win the graft
tude of the entire state by winding
ND its other affairs within thirty days,
thus allowing for a special session OF
twenty DAYS in the fall to be devoted
to the tax problem, without exceed
ing the fftv day limit set by the con-
stitution for the annual session. In
this way. he pointed out, the state
would be spared the expense attach
ed to an extra session called after the
regular session has used up the entire
fifty days time.
On his tax commission Governor
Walker proposed that a joint COM
mittee from both senate and house be
increased by adding as members rep |
resentatives OF the farmers. business
men, manufacturers and other inter-
ests of the state He would have this
committee investigate the tax systems
of other states and hold public hear
ings at central points in all sections
of Georgia.
Would Limit County Taxes.
In the course of his message the
governor says:
Three suggestions have been made
which your committee, or a commits
sion, might well consider:
ID That the county tax rate, now'I
running from two to six times the
state rate, be limited. 1t is urged that'I
this would tend to lower the really
burdensome county taxes and at the
same time result in an increase in
taxable values which will offset the
loss in tax values anticipated in the
repeal of the tax equalization law
I'd That a specific tax on all luxu-
ries be levied. Advocates of this tax
urge that it tends toward thrift by
encouraging economical. purchasing
and yet toward raising necessary rev.
enues from those not inclined to
economize, thus placing reasonable
share of the expense OF government
upon the class most able to bear it.
80 That taxes on insurance COM
panies be increased | am advised that
Georgia collects on gross insurance
premiums only ~ per cent while
Virginia and North Carolina collect
3 per cent. The latter figure would
increase the states income 100000
annually.
Other Recommendations
The repeal of the tax equalization
law is urged; the furnishing Of free
text books to elementary school
grades is recommended; generous
treatment of Confederate veterans
and economy in state, county and
municipal governments are stressed.