The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1951-02-02
EIvE-(ENT TAX
0NCIGAnEITES
IS pR0p0SED
Senator MeCuttheon Intro
dules BiII-Liquor Ii
Cense Bill Also In

A scent a pack clgaret tax Dill
landed in the territorial senate to-
day.
Sen. Steve McCutcheon D-Anch-
orage) introduced the bill to amend
the 1949 3-cent a pack tax law.
McCutcheon predicted passage OF
the cigaret tax increase. He said
many legislators who oppose any
new tax measures have expressed
favor for boosting the cigaret levy
because most retailers boosted the
price an even nickel when the 3-cent
tax was put on.
All tobacco tax revenue would
still go to an earmarked school con-
struction fund The amendment
makes no change in that provision
of the present law. The tobacco tax
raised $4,000 last year, according
to tax commission office reports.
The bill filed today would raise
the tax on packs of SO cigarets
from 8 cents to 10.
1t held top interest among three
bills filed in the Senate. One of the
others was a tax enabling act and
the other was a liquor license law
amendment.
The former, by McCutcheon also
would allow an increase to 3 per
cent go mills) in the tax on real
and personal property for municipal
and school district. purposes. The
present maximum allowed under the
law is 20 mills q per cent?.
McCutcheon said the 30-mill cell
ing is asked by the territorial Mu-
nicipal League. He said Congress
authorized the legislature several
years ago to boost the tax ceiling
to 80 mills.
Sen. R. NJ. Mackenzie (D-Ketch-
kan dropped in bill to relieve
liquor dealers outside of incorpor-
ated towns from the necessity OF
circulating petitions for residents
signatures for each annual renewal
of their license, providing they nave
not been found guilty of any law
infraetions.
The petitions still would have TO
he circulated before a dispenser
could get a license to open new
SPOT. but thereafter the license re-
newals could be obtained from year
to year by merely paying the re-
quired fee.
Mackenzie said the purpose was
to eoualize the situation for dealers
inside and outside incorporated
towns. He said the petition-clrcu-
lating for renewals in towns is MOI
required because a dealer can &c
before the city council for his re-
newal.
The Senate received a sheaf OF
correspondence today from Ross
Kimball of Fairbanks, Democratic
nominee for labor commissions
last year, asking that he be sum
moned to air officially his com
plants against the territorial veter-
ans affairs office.
He enumerated several allega'
lions in strong language.
The Senate sidetracked the matter
by referring the correspondence tt
the education committee.
Sen. Howard Lying D-Nome)
picked up the chance to put in
plug for the legislative Investigate
ing committee that has been propos-
ed in a House bill
Lying said he didn't think the in
dividual complainant should bt
called before the Senate but this
is one more reason we should have
such a committee. 1t could handle
such complaints as this. There are
many rumors and reports flying
about and such committee could
look into them"
(The investigating committee bill
was still land-locked in the House
judiciary committee, to which II
was referred week ago..
Sen. Frank Barr D-Fairbanks)
suggested that if the Senate should
be inclined to start calling in indi-
viduals to air their complaints about
government or government agen-
cies, perhaps we should engage q
psychiatrist, too"
Sen. John Butrovich (R-Falr-
banks) suggested that any person
with a grievance can receive q
hearing from legislators, but declar-
ed 1--WE can't call them in here by
subpoena. If we did we would be
paying transportation" for parade
of them.
The Senate adjourned before noon
until 10 am. tomorrow