Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-02-16
Foes of State Income
Tax Show Their Hand
Continued from Page -

pie threw up their hands In horror
and said none of that for u.s." OF
course, they voted no. Our income
tax bill which was favorably recon-
mended by the committee last Friday
provides that no income report is to
be made out by those who do not have
to pay an income tax. The last min
ute attack against the constitutional
amendment in the fall of 1882 was
camouflage pure and simple, but 1t
had the desired effect Of greatly dim
inishing the yes vote.
AS stated in your editorial, the Sem
ate Tax committee has had several
hearings on various taxation matters
including also discussions on the in
come tax. IF there are still some
folks who are very anxious to be
heard on this matter. 1t is very pos
sible that they may be accommodated
by Senator Geo. H. Sullivan, chair
man of the Senate Tax committee.
Members of the Legislature were
elected to represent the people and
naturally we claim to know something
about the needs of the people. If it
proves otherwise, the voters can dis
miss our services at the next election.
No Delaying This Time.
The game played by opponents Of
the state income tax is delay, delay
and delay. The bill did not get to
a vote before one of the last days in
the 1881 session and consequently
died. The bill of this session was re-
ported out of the House Tax commit
tee on February 10th and we do not
want any last minute affairs as In
1881. 1t still has several hurdles to
votes and the Governors signature.
The concluding paragraph of your
editorial with reference to the au-
thors of the bill states that it is "im-
probable that they have stricken off
bill so perfect as it stands that no
one else could possibly have anything
constructive to add"
The authors do not claim to be in
fallible. The bill contains about
$1,000 words and undoubtedly i'm
provements could be made here and
there. The federal government and
income tax for more than 20 years
and they are still making improve
ments. Members of the House Tax
committee, of which there are 81, de-
bated into late hours at several eve
ming meetings on this question. With
hundred or several hundred people
present and plenty of orators, how
far would we ever get with a bill
containing $4,000 words? The discus
sion would probably run along until
Independence day. Strangely the very
members who were shouting for a
sixty days. session of the Legislature
are the ones who are loudest in de-
handing public hearings and passing
resolutions upon resolutions. Men,
bers of the Legislature should be here
to do business and not dilly daily
along. About seventy-five people were
present at the first committee hear
ing on the income tax. This included
as we'll as some business men. A big
candy man who claimed his candy
company was the largest west of Chi
cago, but unknown to committee
members, made plenty fuss against
the proposed income tax. He tried
the usual bluff of threatening to
move his business out of the state,
if we enacted into law such a tax,
but suddenly Gained down when his
bluff was called and it was pointed
out that the income tax has not hurt
business in the twenty-four states
that now have it. How far would the
committee get if we continually
granted time to such oratory?
In addition to that, 1000 copies of
the income tax bill, S. F. BAG, which
is the same as H. F. 367, was printed
and copies have been given to any
citizen asking for it.
Income Tax Hurts No One.
AS for the rates being too high,
| would advise those who make such
statements to study income tax laws
range from one to five per cent, with
exemptions of $1,000 for single per-
sons, $500 for married persons and
$3.50 additional for each dependent.
The tax on net incomes above $4,000
will be no more than per cent. 1t
is estimated to produce a revenue of
between five and six million dollars
in 1888, which will be applied to
lower state taxes on general property,
cutting the rate about three mills,
which would affect every general
property taxpayer in the state. Com
pare this to the twenty million dol
lars collected annually through the
state income tax in Wisconsin, and
the bill which was just introduced in
North Dakota, with a fifty per cent
rate on incomes over $4,000.
Members of the Legislature, who
are also members of the Tax COM
mittee, should have attended the
hearings on the income tax rather
than to now be asking for more hear
ings.
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