February^ 1931 



THE I. A. A. RECORD 



Page Eleven 



Governor Discusses 



Two State Problems 



Reapportionment and Tax Reform 



Covered in Address Before 



I. A. A. Convention 



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TAXATION and reapportionment of 

 the legislature were the two sub- 

 jects discussed by Governor Louis L. 

 Emmerson before 1,100 to 1,200 dele- 

 gates, members and visitors in the State 

 Armory following the Friday luncheon 

 at the I. A. A. annual meetihg Jan. 30. 



Applaud Statement 



The audience liked the governor's 

 analysis of the reapportionment ques- 

 tion. Spontaneous applause followed 

 his words, "To reapportion the state 

 under the terms of the present consti- 

 tution would give to Cook county a 

 majority in both branches of the Gen- 

 eral Assembly. Right or wi«^g, down- 

 state members of the legislature have 

 not been convinced in thirty years, and 

 they are not likely to be convinced in 

 thirty more years, that complete con- 

 trol of the legislature should be given 

 without check or hindrance to one 

 county out of the 102 counties of the 

 state. It is not done in any other sfate 

 of the Union and it is not likely to be 

 done here, no matter whether we want 

 it or not." l 



i;-'^"'; '':•■■ ■■■'^^-' Tax Situation ■--■■•■•: ":•■•'• 

 '■■ The governor asked that all interests 

 ■ unite to bring about equitable tax re- 

 form, criticized opponents of the de- 

 feated revenue amendment, called 

 attention to the fact that tax delin- 

 quencies/ are mounting, that property 

 owners are rebelling at bearing nearly 

 all the burden of government. 

 • •' "Let us look for a moment at Cook 

 county," he said. "I do not want to 

 hold it up as a horrible example, but it 

 just happens that because of its very 

 bigness, conditions there are more ap- 

 parent. -/ 



. "It was stated in the Chicago Trib- 

 une the other day that more than $ 5 1 ,- 

 000,000 of 1928 taxes have not yet 

 been collected. Of this amount, 70 per 

 cent is in real estate taxes. It is esti- 

 mated that these taxes are due on real 

 estate worth more than $2,000,000,- 

 000, which is more than one-fifth of 

 the total real estate of the county. 



"Is it not quite evident that real 

 estate taxes are becoming confiscatory? 

 Delinquent Taxes 



~^ "A large part of the $37,500,000 due in 

 real estate taxes, it is asserted, will never be 

 paid. For much of it taxpayers have declined 

 to pay and there is no apparent indication that 

 the county can collect in these -nstances. 



"Just consider these figures for a moment, 

 you who think this talk of tax reform is un- 

 interesting and unimportant. More than $37,- 



The Annual Report, 1200 CopieH of 



-"which were Distributed 'Thursday 



Afornlngr, Is a 112-iiagre Illustrated 



Booklet Complete. with Financial 



Statements. 



500,000 of taxes due on real estate in Cook 

 county for the year 1928 still is uncollected 

 and much of it is uncollectible. 



"Then look at this other situatipn for a 

 moment for it is nearer home to you. Cook 

 county owes the state approximately $17,000,- 

 000, which, under ordinary conditions, should 

 have been paid over long ago. The unpaid 

 balance of 1928 taxes due by the middle of 

 1929, but still not received by the state, 

 amounts to a total of approximately $4,000,000. 

 Of the 1929 taxes, which should have been 

 collected -and paid in by the middle of last 

 year, "a total of $13,000,000 is due. . , , 



Funds Are Short 



"What does this mean to the state of lUi- 

 nois? 1 



"It means that the General Revenue Fund 

 as short $6,182,015. 



"It means that the University of Illinois 

 fund is short $1,546,895. ' 



"It means that the money paying interest 

 and retirement of the Soldiers' Bonus Bonds 

 is short $2,533,788. 



"It means that the money for the payment 

 of interest and retirement of Waterway Bonds 

 is short $730,669. 



"It means that the Blind Relief Fund is 

 short $464,668. 



"Without special appropriation from the 

 General Assembly, and special legislation, the 

 state would have to default on its obligations 

 on Waterway and Soldiers' Bonus bonds. The 

 work of the university and the activity of state 

 departments are threatened by the shortage of 

 funds resulting from the failure of Cook coun- 

 ty to turn in the amount of money due from it." 



During the course of his remarks the Gov"-" 

 ernor took occasion to criticize the Association 

 for its refusal to support the propoted \tax 

 amendment after it had been seriously amenHed 

 in the House. 



Reapportionment Plan 



After discussing the plan of representation in 

 the legislature followed in such sutes as New 

 York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New 

 Jersey, Montana and South Caroli^ where the 

 populous counties have limited representation in 

 one house or the other, the governor said: 



"The suggestion is made, therefore, that 

 full nepresentation be allowed Cook county 

 on the basis of population in one House of 



the General Assembly and that the number in 

 the other House be limited to approximately its 

 present membership in that House. This could in 

 no way injure Chicago, for Cook county mem- 

 bers would always be in control of one branch 

 of the legislature and could thus check any 

 legislation which was not considered best for 

 the city or county. At the same tim6. Cook 

 county members could not force on the state 

 any measure which downstate members felt was 

 unjust or unwise for the communities outside of 

 Cook county. It is a balance of power which 

 seems reasonable and just. i 



"Chicago members cannot be expected f to be 

 conversant with conditions on the farm's and 

 with the smaller communities throughout Illi- 

 nois. It is not reasonable to suppose that the 

 welfare of the entire state would be advanced 

 by permitting Cook county members of the 

 legislature to decide every question which came 

 before the'General Assembly, regardless of itk 

 interest or lack of interest to Cook county. 



Amend Constitution ' 



"It seems to me, therefore, that the way to 

 settle the reapportionment question is by i 

 constitutional amendment which will make POS7 

 sible this balance of jwwer. I am in favor of 

 Chicago having the greatest possible measure 

 of home rule. I recognize that its problems irt 

 many instances are qiiite different from the 

 problems of the doynstate and that wherever 

 possible the people, of Chicago should be per- 

 mitted to deci^ these questions themselves 

 without down^ate interference. .■■:.„.■ ' 



/ Consider Fairly 



"On. *he other hand, I do not believe that 

 the -people of Chicago can reasonably expect 

 the downstate to turn over to them all of the 

 functions of state governrnent. 



"As in the case of revenue reform, this ssxi" 

 ous question of profwr representation must be 

 considered fairly and justly. As long as Chi- 

 cago and downstate leaders continue to be 

 arbitrary, no solution is jKissiblf.- and , Chicago 

 will continue to have only oifie-thirS- of the 

 representation in the two Houses of the Gen- 

 eral Assembly. This is a mere statement of 

 fact and not an expression of opinion. 



"With sound tax reform, we can do jnstice 

 to the property owner and with the solution 

 of the. question of reapportionment, the prinr 

 cipal bone of contention between Chicago and 

 the downstate will have beerf' removed." 



V V NOTICE 



ILLINOIS AGRICUiTURAL 

 ELECTION OF DELEGATES 



AS$OGLi\TION ">>^ : 



NOTICE is hereby given that in connec- 

 tion with the annual meetings of all 

 County Farm Bureaus to be held during the 

 months of February and March, 1931, at 

 the hour and place to be determined by the 

 Board of Directors of each respective County 

 Farm Bureau, the members in good standing 

 of such County Farm Bureatis and who are 

 also qualified voting members of Illinois 

 Agricultural Association shall elect a delegate 

 or delegates to represent such members of 

 Illinois Agricultural Association and vote on 

 all matters before the next annual meeting 

 or any special meeting of Association, in- 

 cluding the election of officers and directors 

 as provided for in the by-laws of the Asso- 

 ciation. 



luring February annual meetings will be 

 held in Mason, Tazewell, Will, and DeKalb 

 counties. 



During March annual meetings will be 

 held in Kankakee, McDonough, Boone, and 

 Winnebago counties. 



Signed: ' • 



G. E. METZGER, Secretary. 

 February 9, 1931. 



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