Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-06-07
DWELLS ON TAXES
Editor Askov American:

Editor Askov American:
The total of delinquent taxes Gum
paid taxes) is constantly on the in
crease and in the last three years in
this state, has increased from % to SO
million dollars.
The delinquency in Pine county is
approximately 500, some townships
considerably higher and unless
changes are made in the tax system
the property of thousands of farmers
and workers will be lost for unpay-
able taxes, and government services
as schools, repair of roads and bridges.
etc. will break down for lack of rev.
enue, also increasing in large num-
bers the groups of unemployed from
the ranks of school teachers, road
workers and various types of public
employees.
These facts of course are recOg-
nized by all groups who make any
study or observation of our tax sys-
tenn. But the theories of the solution
vary. We have one school of thought
that has been receiving a great deal
eating a sales tax or gross income
tax, which is in fact a consumers tax.
The large masses of farmers and
workers who have been deprived OF
economic security, and unable to pay
their property taxes, or who have no
property at all, will pay such taxes
in increased prices for the merchan-
disc, the necessities of life, that they
buy.
The representatives in the Mime
sofa Legislature of the special privi-
| lege groups, who have so well manipu-
| lated the system for tax relief of the
wealthy for so many years by keeping
the burdens of taxation on the masses
are now locking for another tax to
substitute for the property tax to pro-
vide government revenue without hit
ting the incomes of the rich.
These groups have been able to put
over such a tax system in the states
of Illinois, California, Mississippi and
other states, and the public is protest
ing against same; we have group
who are shouting for this system in
the state of Minnesota, burden on
the majority. But fortunately, we
have in the governors chair man
who is opposed to this most unfair
tax and believes in other methods Of
raising money. In an able speech
which you should all read, made Ovel
the radio on May 21st and published
in the current issue of the Farmer
Labor Leader, May 80, he makes the
following comment on the gross in
come tax:
I'VE secured the passage of an in
come tax law which was sustained
unanimously by the Supreme Court o
Minnesota, which is designed to shift
the burden of taxation from those
least able to pay to these having th'
means and ability to pay.
And let me say to you Independent
merchants who are here and within
the sound of my voice that the pass
age of the sO-called gross income ia!
as proposed by some of the Republi
can leaders will put you under tn
same taxing system as the chain
SIOTcS. IL Will tii"I Wv III
concern, the bakery, the clothin:
house, and, every business institution
will pay a tax based upon the amour
of goods sold.
THAT tax must necessarily b'
passed back to the consumer. Tha
means that whenever a poor chile
drinks a pint of milk his father pay
tax; whenever he eats a slice o
bread, his father pays a tax, an
whenever he has shoes and stocking
his father pays a tax on them. What
ever glowing cOlors it may be painte
in. underneath is the drab reality tina
it is a tax levied not from the stand
point of means and ability to pay, blu
it is tax which will shift the bur
den of taxation from the rich to tn
poor. Farmer-Labor principles OF tax
alton are founded upon the PROPOSE
ton that the people must be take
upon the basis of their means an
ability to pay
| will later submit program as &C
vocated by the Farmer-Labor part
which will be based on ability to pa
and benefit the property taxpayer, an
not be another burden to the majorit
of our citizens.
EDWARD ]. PROCHASKA.
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