Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-01-11
RELIEF
BILLS PASSED
Continued from Page u
By Osborne
Q Western Newspaper Union

have any important measure passed
in one branch of the lawmaking body
and then not being concerned about
its passage in the other body and
made law, is of no interest to me.
l am deeply disappointed through
the failure of passage of some tax
bills which / deemed of Importance.
One of the proposed tax changes was
for an increase in the rates of in
heritance and estate taxes. Mime
sofa is way below the average of
other states in its collection of in
heritance and estate taxes, the tax
here being less than one-half the
average over the United States. The
proposed increase would have meant
an additional revenue of approx
mately a half million dollars annual
ly to the state-cOllected from
source where it would have been pain
less. l secured 40 co-authors on the
bill and ON final roll call in the
House there was but one dissenting
vote. The work did not end there.
took up the matter with ten or
more senators, urging action, and
though local and minor bills were
passed in the upper chamber after
the passage of the inheritance tax
bill in the House, the bill died slow
death in the Senate through inaction
or willful neglect.
Other Tax Bills Fade Away.
Two companion measures to the
bill proposing to raise inheritance
and estate taxes, sponsored by Rep.
w. H. DeParcq of Staples, and my
self, passed even earlier in the House,
were also subjected to the same slow,
painful death in the Senate. Those
two companion bills had to do with
Joint tenancy and allowances to the
family for one year while the estate
is being probated. Estimated rev.
enues from the passage of those bills
would have been 100000 annually
from each. The three inheritance
and estate tax bills would thus have
enriched the state treasury to the
extent of about 100000 annually.
Another tax measure of statewide
Importance, designed to collect real
estate taxes on income producing
property where the owner is refusing
to pay, was introduced by two Iron
Range representatives, Chas. Wangen-
steen and Mark Nolan. This was
called the Receivership bill and was
passed in the House. The bill would
have gotten at the tax dodger well
able to pay on income producing
property, but who likes to shirk his
duties toward community and state
if he can get by with it.
1t is regrettable that such import
ant legislation should receive so lit
tie consideration from the Senate. If
in its wisdom the conservative Sem
ate felt that those tax measures were
not in the interest of the public and
would serve no good purposes, it
would have been their privilege and
right to turn them down. But to
pigeonhole, delay or ignore, seems to
me is not right and reasonable. Hasty
action is not desired, but the people
have a right to demand some action.
This and other like experiences
bring to mind again the advocacy on
the part of the Nebraska statesman,
U. S. Senator Norris, for the elimina-
tion of one house of lawmaking bodies.
With but one body, instead of both
Senate and House, 1t would make for
less commotion, less tearing around
and more responsibility on the part
of each individual member.
Delightful Relaxation.
In the midst of heavy work. deep
thinking and continual debating it is
sometimes pleasing and refreshing to
enjoy for a few moments something
different. That occurred Thursday
afternoon when Miss Ruth Nelson,
music instructor of the Morris school,
was introduced by Rep. Hagen and