Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-01-09
As STATES AWAIT
ACTION ON ISSUES
Legislatures Will Face Relief,
Taxation and Economy
Questions.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
CHICAGO, January 9.-The Legis-
latures of AZ States are in session this
month wrestling earnestly with vital
problems of taxation, unemployment re-
atoms is expected to come legislation Of
greater economic import than at any
time in a generation.
The American Legislators Association.
with Offices here, reported today that
foremost among the problems con-
fronting the Legislatures is that of
Tightening the tax burden of the people
without curtailing necessary govern
mental services or refusing relief to the
destitute"
AS the lawmakers set about their work,
o survey reveals the following:
That general sales taxes are popular
with. legislators seeking new sources of
revenue.
That congressional action on the
eighteenth amendment is going to come
too late for most State Legislatures to
act, if action by them is called for in
the resubmission resolution.
That county governments are con-
sidered the culprits in the matter Of
extravaganza and face attack on a
number of fronts.
Finances Need Repairs.
That unemployment relief still is a
major problem confronting State gov
ernmentS.
Nearly all States today find their
finances demanding repair, with budgets
out of balance and with demands for
expenditure in relief work mounting.
The real estate tax, on which the larger
proportion of local revenue has rested,
now has broken under the weight. That
leads to search for new revenue sources.
THE sales tax has been widely dis
cussed because of the increasing dis
satisfaction with the real property tax;
the sharp competition between States
and Federal Governments over income
and inheritance tax; the need for a
stable source of revenue during period
of revenue" the Legislators ASso-
citation said, adding Although there
are conflicting differences of opinion on
this subject, many legislators are look
ing to the consumption or sales tax as
a revenue prcducer-in many cases as
last resort. Connecticut, Delaware,
Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi Missouri,
Pennsylvania and West Virginia already
have general sales taxes in operation"
Income tax laws are to be considered
by a number of States, the association
advises Already 20 States levy taxes
on corporation incomes and 81 on per-
sonal incomes.
Seeking out ways to bring economy
into government, a number of States
are picking out their county govern
ments for attention.
County Mergers Urged.
early reports indicate that the ques-
ton of county consolidation will re-
ceive consideration in 80 States" ac-
cording to the Legislators Association
1T has been pointed out that there
are over 5000 counties in this country,
each with its own taxing and admin
istrative machine, and that retrench-
ment and the elimination of duplicating
opportunity for economy. Virginia,
Tennessee and North Carolina have
already taken steps in this direction. A
bill introduced at the last session of
the Kansas Legislature to consolidate
the los counties into 40 failed to pass,
but will probably be reconsidered. Re-
auctions in the number of Kentucky
counties from 100 to 20 and of Mis-
siSsippi's SO to 40 have been proposed
and are awaiting legislative action
Commissions investigating municipal
government will submit reports in
Michigan and New York"
Several States are to consider the
creation of unemployment insurance
reserves, following the lines laid down
by Wisconsin. Questions of govern
mental reorganization are to be widely
considered Interim commissions and
committees on State reorganizations win
report in Georgia, Iowa. Montana,
North Dakota, Texas and Washington.
Increases in license fees for buses
and trucks are getting special attention
in California, Maine, Maryland, Massa-
chusetts, New Hampshire, New York,
South Carolina and Virginia.
copyright, 1882