Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28
FARM TAX CHANGE
MAY Be PROPOSED
Maryland Grange Group
Plans to Make Suggestions
to Legislature.
BY GEORGE PORTER,

Stan Correspondent of The Star.
UPPER MARLBORO. Md, Decembel
27.-Fortified by a voluminous compila-
ton Of facts and figures, the result o
months of study by State and county
committees, the Maryland Grange Il
expected to make several definite rec
concentrations concerning farm taxa
ton at the coming session of the Gen.
eral Assembly.
The nature of the recommendations
will be determined during the coming
week, Joseph H. Blandford, chairman
of the Prince Georges County Pomona
Grange Farm Taxation Committee
saws, when the Executive Committee OF
the State Grange meets to study an
extensive report on the subject COM
piled by a State Grange Committee.
May Ask Specific Laws.
Mr.. Blandford. who Is also a member
Of the State Committee, says the ex-
ecutive heads of the Grange may de-
eide to ask that specific legislation con-
corning farm taxation be passed, or
may merely request Gov Richie to ap-
point a committee further to study the
matter and report at the 1888 session.
The report of Mr.. Blandford, as
county chairman, declares that the
farmers. as we'll as many other cit
izens," are paying more than their
proper share of the expense OF county
and State government under. the pres
ent system of land and property taxa
ton, and suggests more equitable
method of taxation based upon income.
'"Taxes paid annually by the farmers
Of Maryland amount to II per cent OF
the assessed value of the farms They
may, therefore, be considered confisca-
tory" he says.
This tax averages about 26 per cent
Of the net annual income of the farm
or, Mr.. Blandford claims. The aver
age income for Maryland farmers, he
says, Is only $3.50 a year, allowing Moth
1rg for the labor Of the farmer and his
family.
Does not Apply.
sUnder the Federal income tax law"
the chairman continues, "a rate OF 70
Der cent does not apply to income un-
der 100000. The farmers constitute
Q class which, though they earned
three times as much as they do, still
would be exempt from taxation under
the Federal act. Yet they pay taxes at
the same rate as the man who has an
income of 100000 per year over and
above exemptions.
Farm taxes are more than two and
ene-half times what they were in 1914
and are still going up.
From 1925 to 1880 the assessment
of farm land in Prince Georges County
increased $1,000 ,000 or $29.45 an acre,
while since 1920 the number of acres
decreased more than 10000, and the
value Of farm products, as well as farm
land. has steadily decreased.
@The tax upon the farmers house
and lot is about one-SiXth the total
amount he pays covering land, farm
buildings, live stock and equipment.
there Is no relationship between the
amount he earns and the tax he pays.
while the small amount OF intangible
property, such as stock, bonds and other
securities, which is assessed, is taxed
ut only As cents per 500, the farmer
pays $3.50 per 500 for State and coun-
Ey taxes, regardless Of whether he earns
o profit or SuStainS loss.
1.-THE farmers Of Prince Georges
County nav taxes on their dwellings
valued at S5,259,545. They also pay
taxes averaging S1700S per farm on
land. farm buildings, equipment and
i've stock. These figures refer only to
direct taxes for State and county pur-
taxes on household goods, gasoline and
automobiles nor of the taxes shifted to
the farmer by railroads and all other
organized industries with which he does
business.
what has been said in regard to the
Uvertaxing of farm property Is true to
some extent of other classes OF real
estate. Therefore, any adjustment OF
the State tax laws concerning farm
property should recognize the injustice
Of paying, as In the case OF Prince
Georges County. 90 per cent of the cost
Of county government from general
property taxes, while vast amounts OF
income derived from sources other than
ownership Of real estate go untaxed.
Personal Services Untaxed.
Economic changes have created a
growing number of persons whose prin-
cipal income is based upon personal
services, and in Maryland, no taxes are
levied for State and local purposes upon
khis income. Every person having tax
able ability should pay some sort OF a
direct personal tax to the government
under which he is domiciled and from
which he receives the personal BENEFITS
tlnat government conferS.
"The personal income tax, already
adopted by q number of States, offers
che most promising supplement to prop
erty taxation. A tax upon few out
DJGLQ4IB IuAuliCo WOuA0 dASO yAClA VIII
siderable revenue.
with a properly adjusted system Of
State and county taxation, there should
be sufficient funds in our county for
all reasonable governmental functions
without infiicting a hardship on any
one"
The other members of the Prince
Georges County Committee which
studied the farm tax question with Mr..
Blandford are: DR.. H. j. Patterson,
DR.. T. B. Symons, j. EnoS Ray and J.
T. Hogue.
The State Committee is headed by
3. G. Harry, vice president of the Fed
eral Land Bank, and includes Prof.
Samuel H. DeVault of the University
of Maryland. who has been inveSti-
eating the subject about a year. Copies
Of the State report will be furnished
members Of the Legislature.