Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-01-08
INCOME TAX
is REMEDIAL
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sion of the legislature because 1t is
my intention to vigorously support
appropriate action to secure an in
come tax"
Farmers Unjustly Taxed.
Senator Bell in an article entitled.
Farmers Unjustly Taxed" which he
wrote several months ago, brings out
many good points in part as follows:
"The farmer pays an undue proper
tion of the cost of Government in
Minnesota. His land, his livestock
and machinery cannot be concealed:
he cannot evade or fool the tax as
SCISSOR. His money-if he has any
is not invested in intangibles such as
stocks, bonds, mortgages and other
securities that are slowed away in
safety deposit boxes from which cou-
pons may be clipped from time to
time He pays taxes at a high rate
on all he has even though it may be
heavily encountered.
Revenue System Out of Date.
Minnesota today is operating under
a revenue system which was fOrmu-
lated in the pioneer days. and which is
as archaic as an OK cart on a modern
boulevard Our tax laws in the main
were written when Minnesota was
purely an agricultural state, when
there were no cities, and towns were
few, when there was practically no
wealth save real estate. The laws
then were fairly suitable to the times
and substantially just to all citizens.
Real estate was easily assessed and
personal property was of kind not
readily concealed. Ownership of prop
erty was a fair measure of ability to
pay taxes.
1.-The situation today is vastly diff
ferent Our three largest cities have
more than one million population. At
least two-thirds of our people live in
cities. Large industries have devel-
oped Millions of dollars in tax ex-
empt securities, stocks, bonds, mort
cages and other intangible property
are owned in Minnesota-not by the
farmer, the laboring man, or the viii
lage home owner-but by the city pop
ulation. 1t is this intangible property
on which interest and dividends are
paid that produces the large incomes.
1t is this vast wealth, with its income
producing power, that escapes taxa
ton, because of exemptions and eva
sionS, when it should bear a greater
mr.
In other words, the great source of in
come today is not from the farm but
from other classes of property-from
the intangibleS, the factories, salaries,
fees, commissions, etc. Those having
such incomes on the whole pay very
much less taxes than the owners of
real property.
For ten years farm property has
been decreasing in value, and farm in
comes likewise have been diminish
ing; but the farmers taxes gradually
have been increasing.
A Remedy.
rs there no remedy? There is. Re-
wise our tax laws. Make them modern
and suitable to present conditions.
Make each citizen of Minnesota, in
proportion to his wealth and income,
pay his just and fair share of the cost
of the Government. This can be done
regardless of the kind of property
owned or its location. When the hold
ers of intangible wealth are required
to pay their proper share, the owners
of farm lands and of village homes
can be relieved in the same proper
ton.
1.-The first step should be the enact
ment of graduated income tax law.
This is not new; it has been tried and
found to be successful. No tax is more
just and equitable. The citizen whose
income is $4,000 should contribute
substantially twice as much to the
maintenance of his Government as the
citizen whose income is $4,000 An
income tax would catch the citizen
whose wealth is invested in intang-
ibles as well as the one whose wealth
is in real estate.
Then, to further relieve the bur-
den, a sales tax on certain commodi-
ties may be levied such as cigarettes,
and tobaccos. Let those who consume
do the paying. An illustration of this
is the gasoline tax which is conceded
to be eminently fair. The purchasers
of gasoline are the users of our high
ways who should largely build and
maintain them.
Revision of our rather ancient
revenue code is one of the greatest
problems that confronts our state Gov
eminent. 1t requires the most care
full study and consideration. 1t can
not be solved by speedy makeshift
legislation with vision for temper
airy relief only. 1t must not be de-
structive program. 1t must be done
with sense of justice, fairness and
equality for ALL"