The Spokane woman. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1921-1935, 1927-01-06

The Spokane County Committee of the Washing
ton Tax Equalization League held meeting in
Tent of the Davenport hotel Monday noon, with
Walter j. Robinson presiding chairman. draft
of the proposed amendment to the state constitu-
ton providing for classification of all property for
taxation purposes submitted to the last egis-
lature read and will be studied by members
of the committee with view to necessary changes
to be recommended by the Spokane organization
l. b. Mccormick, secretary read a communication
from A. S. Goss, president of the State Tax Equal
cation League in regard to the attitude of the
CARNATIONS hitherto opposing the amendment
Those interests heretofore opposing such an
amendment sensing the strong change in public
sentiment, have ceased direct opposition, and are
now endeavorng to force into the amendment the
classification which would doom it to defeat. The
constitutions of more than 80 states permit the
classification of property for purposes of taxation
but in no instance has any state attempted to class
ify property in the constitution itself To do so in
this state would be to bar the path to scientific tax
legislation.
Reason for emitting such classification in the
constitution itself is obvious No can antici-
pate what form of classification might be necessary
in TO- 20, or 80 years.
The proposed amendment, which had the sup
port of the State Tax Commission, is follows:
Substitute House Bill No. 1870.
An act providing for the amendment of Sections
l and of Article VII of the Constitution of the
State of Washington relating to revenue and taxa
ton.
BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Washington:
Section /. That the general election to be held in
this state the Tuesday next succeeding the first
Monday in November 1928 there shall be submitted
to the qualified electors of this state for their adop-
tion and approval rejection, and amendment to
Article VII of the constitution of the State of Wash
ngton that Sections / and of said Article VII
SHALL when amended, read as follows:
Section l. All property in the state, not exempt
n1n ha 1auFg Nft ha Init tatAu Ali.
constitution, shall be taxed as pro
vided by law. The Legislature shall provide by law
for annual tax sufficient, with other sources of
revenue, to defray the estimated ordinary expenses
of the state for each fiscal year And for the pur
pose of paying the state debt if there be any. the
Legislature shall provide for levying tax annually
sufficient to pay the annual interest and principal
of such debt within twenty years from the final
passage of the law creating the debt
Section q The legislature shall provide by =
. general laws for the assessment, levy and coec.
ton of taxes upon the respective classes of prop
erty in the state. All taxes shall be uniform upon
the same class of property and shall be levied and
collected for public purposes only; Provided, That
exemptions now provided by law shall continue in
full force and effect until altered, amended or re.
pealed by legislative enactment; And provided fur.
ther That the property of the United States and of
the state counties, school districts and other mu-
nicipal corporations, and such other property as
the legislature may by general laws provide, shall
be exempt from taxation: And provided further,
That the legislature shall have power by appro-
pirate legislation to exempt personal property to
the amount of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.0O) for
each head of family liable to and tax
alton under the provisions of the laws of this
state of which the individual is the actual bona
fde owner.