The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-01-04
TAX REFORM
ODE offered
Seven Points Stressed in Bills
Suggested by Minnesota
Taxpayers Assn.

officials of the Minnesota Taxpayers
Association have been working for many
months on the legislative bills that will
deal with problems considered Of the
utmost Importance to the taxpayer and
to the promotion of wise and economical
administration of governmental affairs.
These bills will be completed preced-
ing the opening of the coming session
of the state legislature. Exhaustive
studies have been made as basis for
the changes proposed. In some cases,
the State Association will recommend
changes in old laws; in other cases
entirely new proposals will be offered.
To promote effective tax reform, the
Minnesota Taxpayers Association has
devised program of seven points that
will deal with:
1. Tax reduction.
2. Tax delinquency.
g. Public accounting systems.
4. Annual budgeting.
5. Expenditure control.
6. Consultations and notifications.
Z. Tax equalization.
Tax Reductions
A continuation of the policy to advise
less spending throughout the state as
a very important means of saving tax
payers from bankruptcy, and of saving
government from the same fate. The
State Association feels that the &C
cumulative savings of $45, 900 900 in local
government costs since 1890 demon
strates the effectiveness of the cam
paign that has been made. It should be
continued.
Tax Delinquency
The State Association made a COM
prehensive study of the tax delinquency
situation some time ago, making sur
vey of the 81 counties, and following
this devised a five point program to
cover the tax delinquency situation,
and these will be recommended to the
coming session.
Accounting systems
Unless there is a more efficient &C
counting system in the state it will be
very difficult to make intelligent econ
omies. The taxpayers should receive
intelligent, simple reports compiled
from an efficient bookkeeping system.
These reports must come from their
officials land give the citizen proper in
formation so that the taxpayer will
have his finger on the government pulse
at all times, and know where his money
is going.
Budgets
Levies cannot be held down unless
there are well-planned expenditures,
Budget making is necessary, and these
budgets should be published before the
levies are spread on the books so that
taxpayers can have an opportunity to
study them and modify them when
necessary, and to see that appropri-
atoms are used for the purpose in
tended. The taxpayers wishes would
be conveyed to officials through annual
budget hearings, under the proposed
new law.
Expenditure Control
The plan here in mind is one simply
to promote more careful consideration
of levies and bond issues bring all
evidence into the open before a called
public hearing, and to give the home
taxpayer a voice in home tax affairs.
+. The decision for or against to be vested
in local board of review composed of
some such officials as the county audi
tor, the chairman of the board of
county commissioners, and three selected
at large, and their decision to be sub
ject. if necessary, to reversal by two
thirds vote of the voters of the govern
mental unit. This measure, it is be-
lieved, would effect millions of dollars