Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-04-04

the fact that they are we'll able to
pay more than they now do.
Illustrative of this may be cited
the fact that several of the directors
of leading tax revenue group which
has supported the tax limitation plan
in the Legislature are officials of big
loan companies. 1t would seem plain.
therefore, that in the case of these
men their interest in tax limit alton
is rather a selfish one, more par
ticularly to tighten the load on their
own large holdings, than for the pur-
pose of easing the burden of the
average small taxpayer. While no
one perhaps will deny that real estate
in many cases now bears too large
proportion of the tax load there is
a grave question as to whether the
general public will get the best pos
sible results out of program de-
signed by the large holders of prop
erty.
We find that many of those who are
clamoring for sales taxes, which ad-
lllIllculy SUI INC OCSl at thC oihoiA
income groups. are those who receive
the highest incomes. These weather.
citizens object violently to increases
in the net income tax, even though
such increases would work no actual
hardship on them.
Figures in the possession of the
State Income Tax division give rea-
son to believe that if we must find
additional revenue to replace some
of the tax on real property we may
we'll do that by increasing net in
come taxes. A recent statement of
the income tax division shows that
corporation returns filed up to Jam
uary 1. 1885, revealed II corpora
ton net incomes of $250.OO0 to $780,
900, and seven corporation net in
comes of more than 100000. Fur
theremore eight individuals in Min
nesOta reported taxable incomes above
500, 900 in 1888 and there were 80
individual incomes exceeding $4,000,
according to the figures of the income
tax division. 1t must be remembered
that some of those individual incomes
listed as being over 100000 may be
considerably over that amount.
While a relatively few persons were
receiving incomes far in excess of the
requirements of comfortable living,
more than 100000 people in this state
received incomes of $500 a year or
less. There were more than 100000
people whose incomes ranged from
about $500 to $1,000. Incomes of this
size obviously are insufficient to
maintain family on fair standard
of living.
However. the advocates of a sales
tax propose to shift a large part Of
the tax burden on to these people.
They cannot even now buy all of the
things that are classed as every day
needs; extracting a sales tax from
their thin purses will only mean a
further curtailment of the necessities
which they could buy. 1t naturally
follows that the merchants and others
from whom all these people must buy
may expect to sell just that much less
if a sales tax is imposed. Therefore
merchants and others who hope to
benefit by the sales tax might find
themselves actually losing business.
If real means of replacing part
of the real estate taxes is sought it
is our belief that substantial increases
in the net income taxes in the higher
brackets, inheritance, gift. estate
taxes, moneys and credits, corporate
excess and occupational and royalty
taxes on iron ore will achieve this
end far more equitably than the sales
tax.