The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1925-09-25
AMENDMENT TO
LOWER TAX RATE
Chairman of Committee for Adop-
ton Of Constitutional Tax
Amendment Explains
Measure.
MoDTFIEs UNIFORM RULE
So That Intangible Property Now
Escaping Taxation May BE Put
On the Duplicats.

~ Anes AhsaH8iUAS 6xOPOkV NOW
Escaping Taxation May BE Put
On the Duplicate.
Columbus. Ohio, - Especially - The
people of Ohio will have the oppor-
tunity at the November election to
vote upon 4 proposed Amendment to
the uniform tax rule. A bulletin Just
issued by James A. Devine. Chairman
Of the committee conducting tho tax
campaign says: The Constitutional
Tax Amendment to be voted upon
this fall simply amends the present
uniform tax rule to the sxtsnt thet
1t permits the taxing Of intangihles.
As intangibles form only ~. OF the
total tax duplicate, s29. Of the tax
duplicate will not be affected by the
Amendment but remain under the uni
form rule. The voters will decide
whether or not they want intangibles
taxed, in q way that will get them on
the duplicate" According to Devins
the Constitutional Tax Amendment 10
simply provision that viii make the
present uniform tax rule astic
enough to cover intangibles.
The bulletin issued by the Commit
tee for the Adoption Of the Constitu-
tional Tax Amendment further says:
"The present uniform tax rule was
written into the Constitution in 1881
and Ohioans have hssn taxed under
that rule without practically any
change ever since. When tho uniform
rule was adopted in 1851 the law
makers had to consider one form Of
property only.-tangibles, such ~ real
estate, live stock, household goods and
machinery. There was next to moth
ins to tax in the way of money. bonds,
stocks and the like. There were only
two railroads in the stats.-one in the
northern and one In the southern SEQ
ton. The modern corporation had
not yet como into existence. There
were no automobiles. At that ttAe
very little taxable property cexld
escape the tax collector but there IL
now more intangible property ON the
duplicate than there was tangible
property at the time the uniform rule
was put into effect A. = result the
uniform rule as it now stands falls
short of equalixing the tax burden
because it is doing exactly what 1t did
in 1S61-securing practically all rev
enue from tangible property and per
mitting other forms Of property to
escape taxation.
includes lntaneibles
"The proposed Constitutional Tax
Amendment which the electors OF
Ohio will be asked TO approve or
reject at the November election simply
makes 1t possible to add to the ami
form rule q provision that will provide
for the taxation Of intangible property
which is now escaping. That N
tangible property IN escaping taxation
may easily be seen from figures gath
cred by the State Taxing Commission
which show that although there were
$3.514,334,213 in assets and rssourosa
in banks and building and loan asse
Citations last year there was only l1S3.
234. .3S1 in monies returned for taxa
ton and the grand total Of Ill
individual personal property returned
was only @1,160.<21, ,4so, or two billion
less than the total assets and re-
sources of banks ana building loAs
associations in the state. The effect
Of the proposed Amendment woxld
be to put these millions of dollars In
iAtangibles that are escaping taxatior
upon the duplicate And thereby lesser
the burden of those who own real
estate and taAgiblss and whose
property cannot escape taxation. Tha
proposed Amendmsat wsuld give tAe
Legislature the power 70 tex In
tangibles at . rate that wouM not be
conAscatory. TAis viii not only kssI
Ohio money In 0Ais but sutsi1a
capital will be attracted - this ststs
70 work for our general property"
Has strong suppsrt
The proposed Taxatiea AneAdns1,
was drafted by the representatives oi
forty agricultural, oivis. AAsasial =
dustrial and eAucatlsaA interests
According 70 Chairman DIVINE u
campaign In the interest Of tAil
Amendment II being conducted ~ tax
payers wholly Independent ~ Any poll
teal aAlia1ions. II u The D0blie'l
nsht, not the Aght Hs1 the cause n
any political party" DeviAs ~
At the present time only seven lsl
lars ont Of every t1ee s1s returned
fer taxation. WitA rate that would
not be conascateSy and with the Des
sibllity that the tax might - lsvist
at he source there weuld bs tov
dollars which are now escaping tAat
would not get On tho duplicate.
70 Lesson Farm DurdsRs
The Committee In charge declares
the proposed Amendment will make
II possible 20 lessen ssns Of the bur
dens on farm properly And ethsr rsa'
estate and On the homes Of Ave mil
lion Ohio citissAs. 1T WIN Increase
deposits In hanks sHl builAiAg and
lean associations mIllieAs G Aellar1
yearly that heretofore have beer
s0uandersA IN worthless stocks aad
securities, thereby providing adli
tional capital with whjoh % finance
public enterprises and saAbls theus
alds Of Ohioans 70 secure funds loS