■^* 



The 



Dlinois A^ctdtural Assodation 



RECORD 



Published monthly by tho Illinois Agricultural ABSOclatlon at 106 So. Ma.u street, sponcer, imi. ii,ditorial Offices, 608 So. Deaiboru St., Chicago, III. 

 Entered as second class matter at post office, Spencer, Ind. Acceptance for mailing at spefial rates of postage proTlded in Section 412, Act of Fteb. 28, 

 1925, authorized Oct. 27, 1925. Address all communications for publlcatio i to Kditoriul Offices, Illinois Agricultural Association Record, 808 So. 

 Dearborn St., Chicago. 



Number 10 



OCTOBER, 1932 



Volume 10 



Throw Off The $5,000,000 



Vote for and Work for the Passage of the Emergency Relief Bond Issue 



on November 8 



PROSPECTS for a state tax rate 

 for next year of approximately 

 twice the 1931 rate looms ahead un- 

 less the voters of Illinois pass the 

 proposed bond issue for $20,000,000 

 in the election on November 8. 



It is conservatively estimated that 

 the farm owners and farmers will 

 pay an extra $5,000,000 in state taxes 

 on farm lands and personal property 

 next year unless the bond issue pro- 

 viding for the shifting of 

 this burden to the coun- 

 ties' share of gas tax 

 funds, carries. 



According to John C. 

 Watson, director of tax- 

 ation, the increase in 

 taxes would amount to 

 approximately $25 on the 

 average quarter section 

 farm. It will probably 

 mean an increase in the 

 state tax rate of around 

 35 cents on each $100 of 

 assessed valuation. 



Based on this rate the 

 increase in taxes on farm 

 property and total prop- 

 erty is estimated for each 

 county on the pages fol- 

 lowing. 



Allotments of state re- 

 lief funds have been 

 91.4% to Cook county, 

 and 7.3% to 38 downstate 

 counties with 1.3% left 

 for expenses, overhead, 

 and reserve. 



An explanation of the 

 situation which gave rise 

 to the proposed bond issue 

 follows: 



Early in February, 1932, a series of 

 bills enacted into law at Springfield 

 provided relief for residents of the 

 state who were destitute by reason of 

 unemployment or, otherwise. 



These measures created the Illi- 

 nois Emergency Relief Commission, 

 and the sum of $20,000,000 was ap- 

 propriated thereto. Funds for im- 

 mediate use were provided by author- 

 izing the sale of state warrants in 



the sum of $18,750,000 in anticipation 

 of collection of taxes in 1933. 



In order to provide a legal basis 

 for the issue of such warrants, an 

 additional state tax of $25,000,000 

 was authorized upon all assessed 

 taxable property for the year 1932, 

 payable in 1933. At the same time 

 a proposed state bond issue of $20,- 

 000,000 to redeem all such anticipa- 

 tion warrants and interest accrued 



Pass the Bond Issue 



FARMERS and farm owners in Illinois are facing an 

 increase of $5,000,000 in state taxes on their property 

 this year unless the proposed state bond issue for 

 $20,000,000 is approved in the election on Nov. 8. This in- 

 crease would amount to $25 on the average quarter sec- 

 tion farm. In many counties it would wipe out all de- 

 creases in taxes due to cuts both in valuations of prop- 

 erty and in levies of taxes for county and local purposes 

 already made this year. 



The property owners of Illinois must understand that 

 this extra burden of taxation now rests on them. The 

 power of the state to tax property is pledged to pay back 

 this money already spent. The only way property owners 

 can throw off the load is to pass the state bond issue in 

 the general election on November 8, thus shifting the 

 burden solely to counties in which state relief funds have 

 been expended. Bonds will then be paid over a period of 

 years, out of each county's share of gasoline tax funds, 

 in proportion to the expenditure of state relief funds 

 therein. 



To pass, the bond issue must receive a majority of 

 all votes cast for candidates for the lower House of the 

 state legislature. It is imperative that every voter go to 

 the polls Nov. 8 and cast his or her ballot for this 

 measure. 



(Signed) EARL C. SMITH, Chairman, 

 State Emergency Relief Bond 

 ;~ .? Vv Issue Committee. 



thereon was submitted to the 

 electors of the state to be voted on 

 in the general election in Novem- 

 ber, 1932. If the bond issue is ap- 

 proved, it was provided that the ad- 

 ditional state tax of $25,000,000 on 

 all property should not be levied. 



If the bond issue is approved, the 

 state is authoriz;ed to withhold 

 from each allotment of money to 

 counties under the motor fuel tax 



law (gasoline tax act) an amount 

 sufficient to pay such bonds and in- 

 terest as they come due. The amount 

 must be withheld from the different 

 counties in the same proportion that 

 the emergency relief funds expended 

 in each county bear to the total re- 

 lief funds expended in the state. 

 Under this plaji any counties WHICH 

 HAVE NOT kECEIVED STATE RE- 

 LIEF FUNDS WILL PAY NO PART 

 OF THE COST OF THE 

 SAME. 



This rather complicated 

 arrangement was un- 

 avoidable because private 

 relief funds in Cook 

 County were practically 

 exhausted and public 

 funds had to be raised at 

 once to prevent actual 

 starvation. Because of tax 

 delays and tax delinquen- 

 cies, Cook County, where 

 the need was greatest, 

 had been unable to sell its 

 own relief bond issues. 

 The state's credit, how- 

 ever, was good and could 

 be, and was used, to bor- 

 row against the aforesaid 

 $25,000,000 state tax levy. 

 This levy, as before stated, 

 will not he imposed if the 

 bond issue is approved. 



However, if the bond 

 issue fails of approval, an 

 additional state tax of 

 $25,000,000 on 1932 values, 

 payable next year, will 

 necessarily be levied on 

 all assessed taxable prop- 

 erty in the state. This 

 means that the 1931 state tax rate 

 of 39 cents must be nearly doubled 

 in 1932. If such increased state taxes 

 are required, they must be levied in 

 every county, whether it has received 

 any state relief funds or not. 



This heavy increase in property 

 taxes can be avoided only by ap- 

 proval of the bond issue. Every 

 owner of property, whether real or 

 personal, should vote and work for 





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