Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-01-30

provided Tor by the recent Speclal SeS-
sion. The State Highway Department
was authorized to issue bonds to be
paid for cut of motor vehicle license
fees so that they can pay back into
the state revenue fund the $780, 900
which it has cost the state, through
the Secretary of States office. over a
period of years to issue motor vehicle
licenses. The money reimbursed by
the Highway Department will be used
for old age pensions this year.
| That will take care of 1886, but the
tax question will have to be opened up
cost of old age pensions to the state
and counties is borne out of revenues
on general property-real estate and
personal property. 1t was evident
from the start of the special session
that the conservatives did not want
to open up the tax question and de-
rive money for the pensions from
other sources than general property.
Many bills that would have produced
the needed revenue through taxes
based on ability to pay were intro
duced by liberals but remained DOR
mant in the all powerful and cOnserv-
ative Rules committee.
Conservatives want a general retail
sales tax but expecting that Governor
Olson would veto such a bill had it
been passed in the special session.
as he did in the regular session a
year ago, they did not open up the
question. Bills were introduced by
liberals for increases in the net in
come tax. gross earnings on telephone
companies. Occupational and royalty
taxes. moneys and credits, new taxes
on mortgages, corporate excess, etc.
But the issue can be lodged no
longer. There is no use of conserva-
tives as we'll as liberals crying about
too high general property taxes and
then little being done about it. The
liberals made good start in the 1888
session when they controlled the or
ganization of the House and passed
the net income tax. That brought
revenue of s2,00O,OOO in 1894 and
S3,50O,O00 in 1895. Going to the pub
erty taxes to that extent. But it Is
not enough. More must be done A
retail sales tax, while it will produce
revenue in good portions, Is only ad
ding to the burden of the consumer
and will generally strike those who
are now hit by the property tax. Other
taxes that will not hurt any one can
be increased, and few new tax rev.
enue measures can be enacted that
will not drive industry from the
state"-the old familiar cry that we
have heard so often. Has William
Randolph Hearst left California yet?
A few months ago the newspapers her.
aided his threat to leave the state on
account of taxes. How much industry
has left Wisconsin where they have
had the net income tax for "a years?
Wisconsin has gone ahead faster in
dustrially than any other state in the
Northwest, and they collect a good
via the net income route.
The special session did not pass the
unemployment insurance bill, but that
may not cause so much concern for it
is not the employees who may be laid
off temporarily for few weeks that
are so worried. 1t is the folks who
have no work at all-the unemployed
who are worried. Something must
be done for the unemployed. That is
the big issue confronting not only the
state, but the nation.
AS normal time measure unem-
ployment insurance, however, is a
good thing to have. Those who are
temporarily laid off from their reg
ular work will be helped by the en-
plOyer or those more fortunate who
have steady employment Or per-
haps it would be more proper to say
that they will be helped by the con-
sumner, for that will be the source of
the money ultimately.
The special session approved ap-
pointments of an interim committee
of 10 Senate and House members to
study employment insurance systems
i'm other states.
Other acts by the special session
include the following:
Repealed 1885 law exempting house
hold goods and certain farm machin-
cry from personal property taxes.
Measure permitting payment of de-
linquent taxes in 10 equal INSTALL
ments in move to expedite collections
of estimated $4,000 900 in back taxes.
A $50 maximum monthly pension
for needy blind whose private income
does not exceed 1854 annually.
Appropriated for relief so that with
the $5,0O0,O00 appropriated in the reg
ular session and left-Overs, there will
be available for 1886 the sum of
81 $3.50
MemOrialiZed Congress to continue
WPA program until Jan. 1, 1897.
Authorized $4,000 to finance Rail-
road and Warehouse Commission fight
against dismemberment of Mfnneapo-
lis & st. Louis railway.
Approximately 500 bills were intro
duced during the special session
which began Dec. and closed Jan.
25. but under rules adopted at the
outset all Of the measures were routed
RI no pn1oc foao IF both