The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-03-24
URGES CUT
IN EXPENDITURES
DURING TAX talk
Asserts Lower Levies Possible
Only If Public Corporations
Spend Less

Pointing out that taxes car be re-
duced only by curtailing the expendi-
ture of money for public purposes,
| Tax Commissioner liver Acker, ad-
dressing members of the Kiwanis club
| Tuesday, urged that the Association
of Commerce and businessmen gen.
orally pay more attention to this
problem.
Stressing the fact that unduly high
taxes are a handicap to the develop
ment Of the community, Acker said
tax levies impose a burden on bust
ness which may become * great that
commercial and industrial initiative
Is paralyzed and the development Of
cities Is halted. Unless investors see
a chance to make a profit, after taxes
and other costs Of doing business are
paid, they will not invest their money
in new construction or new business,
Acker said.
Branding the present system Of fix
ing valuations as one conducive to
inequality and unfairneSs, Acker pre-
dicted that the time will come when
every county in the United States
will have a county assessor to equal
lie tax valuations.
The time also Is coming, he said,
when one central tax board must
make q consolidation Of the taxes
levied for city, county, park school
and other purposes and allot the
revenue therefrom on a business basis.
AS 1t stands now, he said, each group
or board levies separate taxes with
out regard to taxes levied by other
boards.
Commenting on tax laws enacted
by the legislature, Acker said they
should be helpful, since most Of them
were revisions and Qualifications of
old statutes. State banks will be
helped, he said, by the law requiring
them to be taxed in the same man
ner as national banks. An inequality
in tax measures operated in favor of
the national banks and threatened
the state banking system, he said.
Expressing qualification that the
sales taxes, suggested at the legis-
lative session, failed to pass, Acker
said such statutes should not be en-
acted until q study has been made on
the effect they may have on the bust
nessessto be taxed. II it IS seen that
they will seriously affect the opera
ton Of an industry, they should be
avoided, he asserted.
Developing the fact that the coun-
try suddenly has grown tax con-
scious," Acker said the cause is lack
Of income on the part of the indivi-
dual as much as 1t is high taxes. In
vestigations Of the tax problem in 80
states shows the anne general con-
dition everywhere and proves that
many Of them are in worse condition
than North Dakota, he said.
Taxes appear high. he said. because
incomes are low. He gave it as his
opinion that the ideal method of levy
ing taxes would be to impose them
! on the basis of the incomes earned
both by property and individuals, but
predicted 1t would be many years be-
fore such q system could be In
augurated in this state.
Guests at the luncheon we're Mr.,
Schlosser Of Fargo; Charles B. Heine-
meyer, Beulah, and George Janke.
| Bismarck.
P. E. Byrne. club president, an
nounced that in the future the XII
wanians would open and close their
meetings by singing the Star Span
gled Banner in view Of the fact that
this song has been designated by con
| gress as the national anthem. Here
tofore, the clubmen have accorded
| this honor to America.