The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1937-04-05
Why Immune?
New York World telegram

New York World telegram
The whole modern theory of taxation demands
that it shall be fair and equitable.
What becomes of that theory when, as the World
Telegram showed recently upward of 100000 govern
ment employees in this State earning than
$500 900 in government pay escape either federal
or State income taxes that would have totaled
$25OOOOo ast year?
No federal income tax bcthers State, county, city,
town and village offceholders No State income tax
touches federal employees within the State
This reciprocal immunity applies, remember, to
official salaries high and low-from the Governors
$4,000 year and the s25 00C and $4,000 pay of high
court judges all the way down the list of the 100000
Where's the equity in this?
Where's the fairness in it at time when mount
ing taxes imposed by every division OF government,
large and small pile ever-increasing burdens upon
the taxpayer who claim no official exemption?
The Sixteenth Amendment to the federal Consti-
tuition says as plainly words can say it,
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect
taxes on incomes from whatever source derived
Yet, despite the apparent inclusiveness of the
phrase from whatever derived" the doctrine
of implied State sovereignty has been invoked to
Exempt the compensation of State officers
States have returned the compliment by exempt
ng federal offceholders from State income levies
And on both sides, provision that pay of certain
constitutional officers may not be diminished dur
ng their terms of office has been pleasantly inter-
,reted to mean their salaries cannot be taxed
For all of which the non-offcial but taxable
citizen pays of course, in taxes that much higher
Moreover when he thinks about it he realizes
hat the settlement of who is to be taxed and who
to be exempt rests almost wholly with legislators
md officials who themselves enjoy the benefit OF
hese reciprocal exemptions
No wonder he hears much about spreading the
ak load but mighty little about spreading it in a
direction that will reach official salaries.
Taxation that duplicates itself. overlaps itself
steps on its own feet illustrates itself mutpies its
1wn complexities beyond all bearing
Taxation that pounces pell-mel, hit miss
my tax source that looks for the moment promising
Taxation that deliberately provides in tax-exempt
public securities refuge for billions of dollars OF
wealth that thereby withdraws from the tax field
altogether.
Taxation that, top of all this goes out of its
way to exclude great host of government employees
many of them highly paid, and expects other folks
make up the difference.
Offciadom may call this tax system" The tax
oayer longer calls it that. To him it has become
huge muddle of incompetence and injustice. He
demands way out and his demand is urgent and
paramount
good place to begin is with these hundreds of
thousands of exempt government salaries.
Eddie and Wally have postponed their marriage
until after the coronation After ALL the preliminares
should be held before the main event-Ohio State
Journal
The magazine covers show skiers poised some
where betwixt land and sky. Congressman who are
standing by Roosevelt the court know how feels
Detroit News.
European slogan Billions for equipment but
not penny for debts.-Toledo Blade
We seem to have entered period of surreaism
IN craftsmanship Free Press.
Mans inhumanity to man makes military expor-
ters.-Buffalo ourier-Express
Do You Remember-Away back when only the
bankers had short hours?-New York Sun