Show THE TUE T TAX A. A IlA LAWS WS OF OP LT UTAH U ARE linE INADEQUATE IN Utah's present lax tax laws are Inadequate inadequate inadequate quate unjust incapable of or enforcement enforcement enforce enforce- ment nent make mako inevitable e tax dodgers liars and perjurers sa said sahl ld Dr Charles J. J Bullock professor or of economies ai UL Harvard university who addressed l he time Progressive Business club in Salt SaIt Lake But Dut Utah is not alone In this state late of affairs the tax e expert pert added added added add add- ed for lor most of the states Jn the anion mi- mi ion on are in n the same boat only a afew few ow of oC the comm common commonwealths l wealth's enacted tax reform legislation fiat fiats Is s equalizing the burden and ami prod producing pro pro- d good results Dr Bullock Dullock emphatically 1 tIc advocat- advocat eu ed the approval by y the voters oten o of tt the c proposed constitutional amendment to o be submitted at th the tho next general election which amendment was pro pro- pare pared by the time l s L-s s and which in substance c provides for tor the creation of a tax commission with power lower to lev levy an income tax classify classi- classi y fy f property and make al exemptions cx The proposed amendment amendments lie no said Is is s not entirely satisfactory in some respects but its adoption would prove provo a long step in the right dh c- c tion Ion In the the state state of Utah Utah as well as J. J In I most other states said Dr Bullock DUllock there Is a a t. t system of taxation that thai thatIs is to affect all property properly equally to reach all classes without discrimination and to make everybody everybody every every- ho body bear his share shaie or of the burden but In Utah Uta as well as in m. most other states it fl doesn't do of the kind It is one of the faults of the time system system tem tern that levying and collection o of oC taxes is in the hands of or locally appointed ap ap- pointed or ele elected ted persons and the assessor who wIto undertakes to lo assess asses property properly at its full value to assess assess asses moneys mones stocks and bonds an and to enforce enforce enforce en en- force collection lasts one term not even that long when he lie runs rumps into iulo some rellow who 1 Is Isquick Isquick quick on the trigger It is folly t to expect that people will wUl pay a tax o of 25 or 30 mills on the dollar oa on bonds bond that are yielding 4 or 5 per cent I It would be he suicidal from Crom an investment to do so nobody can be expected expected expected ex ex- ex- ex to do it and no one does i iThe it The result is that it maKes manes citizens citizen i who have much munch money Invested 1 In bonds liars and nd perjurers not I In Utah alone but in every state an and country where such laws are on oa th the statute books As an au illustration of the fall folly o or of attempting to lo enforce the time present presen tax laws Dr Bullock pointed ou out that the assessed val valuation of oC th the moneys and credits in Utah was between between between be be- tween and when as a matter mailer of fact he said time the savings deposits in the state slat alone were in excess of To put on oa the screws and amid honestly atte attempt pt to lo enforce the law as it stands he lie said would drive the In Investors Investors investors In- In to Los Angeles or some oUter oUt oUt- er or city cily with a good climate and a lower tax rate te There had been the same diu cul- cul ty tr time the same lying and perjuring th the same of distributing Hi the lie burden in Massachusetts for Cor mall many i years ears he said prior to 1916 when I the Bay Day state legislature passed a I law providing for a ta tax of or 6 G per cent cea centon centon on the time income from intangible intangible- le- le assets The contrast in the former Cormer and th time the new regulations were shown in th the fact that in 1914 the intangible as assets assets assets as- as sets assessed amounted to 90 1 only 90 while in 1917 the record showed assets assels of From a state of tax dodgers said time the speaker we have changed to lo a state of taxpayers There Is comparatively little trouble or cult cully culty in collecting the tax The cill- cill zens zeus who VIto object to paying 6 per cent centon centon centon on the income the times they derive from Cram In- In intangible assets are Indeed few tew Dr Bullock Dullock then discussed the proposed amendment to the me which if It he pointed out would give the legislature power to lev levy an income tax to classiC classify property properly determine the extent and aud how it should be taxed and to make malce exemptions Under the present system system system tem ho he declared Utah can go on with its collection of or taxes on Intangible in intangible intangible In- In tangible assets as a complete farce and amid with property that cannot be e covered up tip or taken awa away bearing virtually all of ot tho lie burden |