Evening star., 1925-02-13
CALIFORNIA DENIES
TRANSIENT TAXES
Attorney General and State
Board Explain Tourists
Exempt From New Law.
By Consolidated Press.

By Consolidated Press.
SACRAMENTO, Calf, February l3.
ALL misapprehensions regarding re-
visions of the California State tax
| laws have been swept away by the
State attorney general L. S. Webb.
| who declares in an opinion just made
public that neither constitutional
amendments nor laws have ever con-
templated the taxing of the personal
property of tourists and non-resi-
dents in California.
The bugaboo of the local tax col
lectors trying to lay siege to the
property of the temporary sojourn-
er, sightseer and health seeker may
be dismissed for all time, according
to State officials.
California is looking forward dur
ing 1925 to it's greatest tourist travel
from the East since the days of the
Panama Pacific international exposi-
ton in San Francisco eight years ago.
The transcontinental railroad COM
panies, as well as steamship lines.
forecast an increase of between 20
and 25 per cent in tourist travel this
year as compared with 1924. On this
basis estimates of the number of
people who will visit California dur
ing 1925 will run well toward a mill
lion.
Welcome StilI Out.
Even these estimates may prove too
conservative in light of the opinion
by Attorney General Webb. holding
that the new constitutional amend
ment voted last November, enabling
the legislature to make certain
changes in existing tax laws. was not
designed in any way to tax personal
property of the States itinerant
population. In other words. Cali
fornia still has welcome" on the
door mat
In some quarters the new consti-
tutional amendment carried last No
vember had been interpreted as pos
sibly bringing under taxation stocks,
bonds, debentures and other securities
and personal property of tourists and
non-residents as well similar prop
erty held by permanent residents of
the State. This theory has been dis
PEELED.
Agree Non-Residenfs Exempt.
Attorney General Webb's opinion
that tourists and non-residents will
n OF be taxed in California was given
after conferences with the State
board of equalization and other State
bureaus.
Mr.. Webb says:
Il concur in the opinion expressed
by the State board of equalization
after careful review of the amend
ment that visitors and tourists to
California will not be subject to tax
alton under the terms of the new
| amendment.
"The amendment does not in any
way change the law, which formerly
was on the statute books, except tc
| provide new method of operation
nor does it place any new property
| under taxation ...
state Board Explains.
| The State board of equalization
| which administers CALIFORNIA; ta1
| laws, already has expressed the opin'
| ion that:
Securities or intangible propert!
| of non-re sidentS, tourists or visitor:
is not made taxable under this ne"
| law or any other California law. The
| ment and operating legislative act tc
| be passed is to relieve the securitie:
| of California residents of a very large
percentage of the tax to which they
are now and for many years have
/ been subject.
THE lie legislature, under this amend
| ment, will fix uniform value on sucf
securities, stocks. bonds. notes. mort
cages and solvent credits of foreign
| registry, amounting to approximatelI
three mills in lieu of the present law:
| which permit the county assessor t.
assess such securities owned by Cali.
| fornia residents at their full value i
he so chooses
So California's latchstring is out a.
of yore.