The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1939-02-02
SOAKING THE POOR!
An Editorial

resolution to impose sales tax upon the people of
Cumberland introduced in the City Council last Monday
and action deferred until the next meeting give oppor
tunty for study.
Let us do studying. First, by an examination of
the very first principle of taxation.
II has always been accepted that the ability of the taxed
person to pay is rightfully the first consideration.
The proponents of the sales tax certainly going
to tell the people that the poor and already undepad WPA
worker is able to pay much say Mr. Howard Bruce
millionaire Baltimorean?
Surely, the sales tax proposers do not claim that the
worker at the Ceanese plant and living in Cumberland is
able to pay the taxation the president of the First
National Bank for another example do you expect the
Ceanese worker to be able pay much as the plant
ager?
In fact in many instances it has been shown that the
poor pay than the rich under sales tax The poor
people have to make their purchases in small amounts at
frequent intervals If they go to the for can
of beans they pay much proporonatey than their
more fortunate citizens who purchase in dollar lots And
make mistake, however wealthy some people may be
there is still limit to the amount they can eat and the
clothes they Do not be confused in sales tax
They pay not in proportion their incomes but in proper
ton to their purchases.
The ntroducer of the resolution in the City Council
made references the need for the tax to hep
property and people who unemployed and unable
to meet real estate evies Well if they need aid it would
that it should be provided in way than further
pauperzng the unemployed the WPA worker and the I'M
1t should be time for all these groups protest the
taxation of their chldrens somachs in order to meet
crisis of the poor property owners.
The proposal carries suggestion that the tax be ex-
empted on bread and milk and gasoline.
We wonder why? An explanation was given that fed
era and state taxes already levied gasoline there
given for the exemption of bread and milk
Again, wonder why these two items were exempted
If bread and milk exempted why should not pork and
beans and hominy grits be exempt And bread and milk
and pork and beans and homny grts exempted why
should not flour and yeast and salt and baking soda be free
sales And for that matter why fat back canned
soup and oeo margarine and chdren's all day suckers?
When the proponents of the sales tax proposed ex-
empt bread and milk they offering sop the victims
of their plan for soaking the poor!
If the city is hard up why not let have complete
reexamination of the tax exemptions which have been
granted to highly favored corporations who can employ
high priced attorneys?
Why not some frankness on the Identities of those who
unable to pay just and due bills And full report
of and places of those who outstanding paving
liens and taxes? Why not real effort collect the
taxes already earned by the city from those who able to
pay instead of SOAKING THE POOR Instead of filching
few pennies from the slender budgets which are al
ready strained to the utmost to provide food shelter and
clothing for the kids of the unemployed the WPA workers
and the part time workers of industry.
sales tax bears its Ubiquitous burden upon those least
able to bear it, Let Mayands legislators take and throw
it out the window-bread and milk exemptions and ALL