Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-06-23

Much ballyhOO emlnateS from the
Minnesota Taxpaye Association
which is j. F.. Reed, about tax levies
in Minnesota having been reduced
nearly S1O,O00,O00 in the last two
years. Taxes should be reduced
wherever possible. farmers have been
in a mood to do so and the taxes
would have been reduced and have
been reduced without Mr.. Reed trot-
ting up and down the state claiming
credit for it.
The cutting of taxes in the state.
about S10,000,00O out of total of
about s13O,OOO.0OO is really a baga-
telle when compared to what is lost
in wages these days through unem-
ployment. The loss in wages in Min
nesota is now about S20O.OO0,000 an
nually. Compare that to the S10.-
100000 saved in the reduction Of
taxes. The tax saving is one-twen-
tieth of the labor loss.
There are certainly bigger prob
lens to be solved today than that Of
saving a nickel or a dime here and
there in taxes. And in a land of
plenty it should not be necessary to
turn a nickel II times before giving
it out Likewise it should be unnec-
essary for any one to try and squeeze
blood out of a dime.
If the s1O,OOO.OO0 cut in general
property taxes had been made up in
income tax collections it would have
helped because 1t would be paid by
individuals. who can afford to pay it
and the. townships, school districts.
and counties would then not need to
curtail their programs. Less road
building. less new buildings. less up
keep of buildings, less improvements
and there are less people employed.
1t is very true that if we spend less
public money there will be less taxes
to pay, and any we'll balanced citizen
would not advocate the sQuandering
OF public money any more than he
would squander his own money. The
object of Mr.. Reed and others like
him who are with those that do not
want the income tax is to make peo-
pie think in terms of general property
taxes only-if you want less taxes
spend less public money. The para
mount problems today are to make
the labor saving machinery serve hui
mainly as whole instead of the few,
secure jobs for the workers, change
our tariff laws so as to make for more
world trade and prosperity and de-
centralize wealth through the federal
income, inheritance, gift and estate
taxes and lower interest rates on farm
mortgages. Oh, how we need a leader
with brains, vision, and heart in the
right place!
Taxes has it's place also and is of
Importance but it is not the paramount
issue for if the general property tax
was reduced to one-half or even down
to one-fourth it would still be difficult
for many to pay, in some cases i'm
possible with the low prices on farm
products. Interest is more important
than taxes and could we get farm
loans at ~ 20 interest with amortiza-
tion payments of 11af0 annually it
would be wonderful help, and would
start the wheels of industry agoing
again.
Economy in governmental affairs is
a good thing and should never be un-
-derestimated. Waste is out of place
wherever it is practiced. But the
thing is that general property is pay
ing disproportionate share of the
tax burden, and even if the taxes are
reduced the tax is still out of align
ment. We must have a state income
tax, based on ability to pay, which
will relieve some of the burden on
general property. The income tax
is the tax that Mr.. Reed and his Min
nesota Taxpayers Association do not
like to mention. They circle all
around the root of the tax evil and
just talk "cut taxes" when, as a mat
ter of fact, the problem is more that
of shifting it onto other shoulders.
The tax question is of Importance,
as above stated, but this trying to
make the public think in terms of
taxes only is out of place. The most
important thing about taxes in the
state of Minnesota is to shift the bur-
den so that it will be collected on
a fairer basis in the years to come.
Getting jobs for the unemployed is
about twenty to one shot over taxes
right now, and no one needs think
that taxes can be kept down or re-
duced with so many people out of
work. The unemployed can not live