Henderson daily dispatch., 1938-11-12

from its present three.
Leading the efforts to recamp mod
ify or alter the sales tax will be Neck
lenburg's ]. 3. Vogler, who in his
freshman term in the House (1937)
proved himself capable battler. He
is an undying and unyielding foe of
fanatical as to lose any advantageous
grounds of expediency. -
The food dealers organization, of
which Vogler is the executive secre-
tary, is preparing to present petitions
signed by literally hundreds of thous
ands North Carolinians asking repeal
of the sales tax or at least the ex-
emption of food and fuel for home
consumption.
Beverage Taxes: These levies will
stay about "as is'
Privilege Taxes: AS usual, there will
be some minor battles over particular
schedules. Every affected industry
and business will try to get off as
lightly as possible, but the net result
will be practically zero
If there are any fireworks at all in
discussion of privilege taxes, they are
likely to be fired off by the North
Carolina League of Municipalities,
which wants to remove some statutory
provisions and limitations on the pow
er of municipalities to levy privilege
taxes in addition to those imposed for
State purposes. The league argues
that the State has already taken over
so many Of the municipal taxables
that there is crying need for more
sources on which the cities and towns
can levy.
Francise Taxes and Inheritance
Taxes: No changes are likely on either
category.
Intangible Taxes: These are new
and more likely to be revised than
any others, especially in view of the
fact that returns from them for the
first year of their operation were far
below estimates. The Association OF
County Commissioners, the State
Grange and the MUM League plan
concerted effort to have taxation of
all intangibles returned to local units
The Grange would like the State to
collect the taxes, then turn them over
to the counties on a basis of popula-
ton rather than of contribution to
the total collected. This would be of
great benefit to the small, rural coun-
ties, but a tremendous blow at the
big ones like Mecklenburg, Guilford,
Forsyth and others.
Miscellaneous Items: There will be
a strong and concerted effort to ex-
empt homesteads probably those val
ed up to $1,000 from ad valorem tax
81; ",
will have the backing of the Grange
and, in general, of all the so-called
liberals or -administrationists. A
gainst it will be found lobbying tooth
and nail the county commissioners
and the MUM League, both of which
claim that it would be SO destructive
OF tax values in many counties as to
prove real disaster for them.
The counties and municipal group
may even go so far as to seek repeal
| OF present exemption of $500 in per-
sonal property, though there seems
small chance of success for any suci
movement. .HA.sK
There will also be a substantial at
tack on present exemptions in the re-
venue machinery act which enable
church, fraternal and charitable
bodies to get what is claimed to be
an unfair advantage in competition
with private real estate owners be-
cause the estates of these organiza-
tons are often rented for commercial
purposes and are not subject to taxa
ton. A similar effort two years ago
| gained more than little support, but
lost. The plan is, of course, opposed
by the powerful groups affected AM
probably will not get enough votes to
PASS AIf@0R