Smyrna times., 1932-08-31
DOUBLE TAXATION
is REDOUBLED
We Are Taxed For City, Coun-
ty, State and Federal Gov
ernment-Four Systems
TIME FOR A CHANGE

Dover, Aug % Life, Liberty
and the pursuit Of Happiness. That
to secure these rights, Govern
ments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed" Thus
says the Declaration of Independ-
ence and thus the American Nation
was founded on the principle that
Government is the servant and
protector Of the people; their
lives, Liberty and pursuit of Hap
piness; it being the duty of the
people to finance the operation of
Government by paying taxes. Dur
ing the course Of more than one
hundred and fifty years our Gov
ernment has grown and expended
and formed new political divisions
and subdivisions; thus continually
adding to the units that must be
paid for from the earnings of the
people, and seldom reducing or
lowering the taxpayers burdens.
To-day in time of great economic
distress we find ourselves tied up
in a condition where all Of us must
pay taxes to three governments,
and many Of US must pay taxes to
four governments. We are taxed
by the City government, the coun-
ty government, the State govern
ment, and the Federal government.
Isn't it ridiculous? Four separate
and Independent systems of taxa
ton? Four sets of taxes that the
poor taxpayers must pay. And yet
the taxing power is derived from
the consent Of the governed"
Your consent, My consent Aren't
we all lot of idiots? Haven't we
got enough brains to combine
many Of the government activities
under one efficient head? Years
ago when there We're no railroads,
or automobiles, or telephones, or
all of the income of the
people was derived from the land.
Real estate taxes were instituted
and levied on real estate values,
because income from land was then
in proportion to the value of the
land. People Travelled by horse
and wagon, County Governments
were formed, and the real estate
taxes were paid to the Counties as
they still are to-day. With mod
ern transportation, Counties are
not really needed,-we have out
grown them. Yet the heavy burd- {
en- of real estate taxation continues F
on the same basis. The income I
from land has dwindled until many
farms do not produce enough net
income to pay taxes; and the I
farmers standard of living is fore
ed downward, followed in turn by
unemployment in industry. The
man who invests his money in in
dustrial securities pays no tax
when he gets no income, yet the
man who invests in a farm or other
real estate has to keep on paying
lakes in the same old way whether
there is any income or not. All
axes should be collected from the
lowing stream of money in circu-
ation,- not from the stagnant
pool of idle capital that produces
nothing, whether it be invested in
and or otherwise. Cut out some
IF the forms of government, COM
oine others, put taxation on a mod
ern basis where it follows the flow
If money and thus we will lay an
stone in the foundation
or more lasting prosperity. Go
o the ballot box on Primary day
ind on Election day. Vote for men
Who will truly represent you and
10 these things for you. Four
separate levies of taxes paid to ;
our separate units of govern
nent! How silly? - Frank H. |
,hakacpaara Doryar naIauyora