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LESSER PENN STATE AREAS
EYE LOCAL TAX BANDWAGON
Extension of Taxing Power
Will Be Issue at Next
Legislature
PITTSBURGH—Second-class townships,
denied tax privileges under last year's Pennsylvania
local tax law, for the most part
are without theatres, business establishments
and other taxables to speak of. Commissioners
of these spai-sely-populated political subdivisions
are asking: "What can we tax?
Fence posts?"
They will urge the 1949 legislature to impose
a statewide graduated Income or sales
tax.
WILL BE ISSITE LATER
One fact is certain: The Pennsylvania local
tax law will be a top issue at the next session
of the general assembly.
Other recent local tax developments include:
Grafton school board has abandoned the
proposed and hotly disputed 5 per cent rent
tax. With the "tenant" tax removed, the
board of education increased the head tax
from $5 to $10 to balance the 1948-49 budget.
Springdale, which has a 10 per cent amusement
tax, is to have additional levies. The
school board is placing a tax of seven cents
a ton tax on all ashes or cinders loaded in
the borough for resale or for fabrication purposes
and a tax of $1 on each .$100 involved
in real estate transfers.
Curwensville council Imposed a $15 annual
tax on juke boxes and pinball machines
operated inside the borough, the measure
providing a fine of $100 for persons failing
to pay the tax.
Some 30 communities in five western Pennsylvania
areas have w'age taxes.
COAL LOADING TAXED
Boswell board of education has passed a
1 per cent income tax which will be effective
July 5.
Canonsburg school board passed a one-half
of 1 per cent tax on all wages, salaries and
certain other net income from business and
professions, to begin as of July 1. The action
will be followed Immediately by a similar
action by the borough council.
South Heights school board unanimously
passed a four-mill wage and income tax levy,
effective August 1. Borough council originally
considered this tax but rejected it In pretence
to a coal-loading ordinance.
The school board at State College, Pa.,
plans a 1 per cent tax on salaries, wages,
commissions and other compensation and net
profits earned or received on after July 15.
20 per cent soft drinks tax
is
I costing Keystone Bottlers $40,000,000 in
gross business loss for a two-year period. The
association, fighting the tax in Philadelphia
Harrisbm-g, states that the conmionwealth
estimated that the levy would bring
$5,888,000 in the first four months of
year, but receipts were $3,514,396, or less
than 60 per cent of the anticipated revenue.
bottlers asserted that the volume loss
in less-than-estimated tax returns
A Tax Is a Tax Is a Tax
May Answer This One
Zanesville, Ohio—When i.s an amusement
tax not an amusement tax? That's
what a poetic theatregoer here wants to
know.
He expressed his perplexity recently in
a four-line poem:
Of all the taxes that I pay,
With one I'm most confused:
Why must I pay an amusement tax
When I haven't been amused?
has "disastrous implications for business,
with a resulting loss of jobs, loss of profits
and loss of normal taxes to the state in addition
to the tremendous injury done the soft
drink industry itself."
Blairsville school board has hiked taxes
on thi-ee fronts: per capita tax has been increased
from $5 to $10, levied a retail tax
of a mill and a half, wholesale, three-quarter
mills; increased by 2'^ mills the rate
on real estate, making rate for school pui'-
poses 23 mills.
The Snowden township school board proposals
to levy a 5 per cent amusement tax
and a $10 tax on each bowling alley, pool
table and coin-operated machine, were
dropped.
Summerhill township school district will
levy taxes on all incomes and coal tonnage
in its area.
SKATING CHAMP—Richard Rasgaitis,
U-I booking clerk, is Ohio's champion
roller skater. He won this distinction
at an exhibition contest recently
held in Springfield, Ohio, where he
emerged as first place winner in three
divisions—figure skating, skating in pairs,
and skating in fours. This added two
trophies and three gold medals to his
collection which now numbers 14 medals
and three trophies. In addition he is a
silver medalist, the equivalent of a gold
medalist for ice skaters.
Meanwhile, More Ticket
Taxes Being Levied
In Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG—Supervisors of many second
cla.ss townships, excluded in the Pennsylvania
act which permits political subdivisions
to levy taxes on anything not now taxed by
the state, will endeavor to have the next
session of the general assembly amend the
act so that these townships will have the
taxing power of cities, boroughs and townships
of the commonwealth.
Meanwhile, still more local amusement
taxes were being enacted or proposed. In
Blawnox, the borotigh council has passed a
levy of 2 cents on 25 cents or fraction thereof
charged for admission. Harry Rachiele, proprietor
of the Maryland, stated that taxes of
12.5 per cent on adults and 16.7 per cent
on children, based on established prices, are
oppressive, unfair and confiscatory. With the
new tax, total admission at the Maryland
will be higher than at theatres in nearby
communities which hold clearance over
Blawnox.
AMBRIDGE, PA.—A proposed amusement
tax of two cents on each 25 cents admission
or fraction thereof was discussed by members
of the school board and theatre representatives
who revealed that the annual
theatre "take" was $680,000. The theatre
managers pleaded with the board not to tax
people away from the theatres. Leading the
discussion was Joseph Feldman, Warner
executive, who urged particularly that children's
admissions should not be taxed.
Others in the discussion were John A.
Notopoulos, Harry Bernstein, B. F. Moore,
B. W. Steerman and Walter Hock. The tax
resolution will be presented for adoption
June 9.
UNIONTOWN, PA.—School districts of
South Union and North Union townships
each will impose taxes on amusements, mercantile
businesses, juke boxes, coal mined,
hotels, production or sale of reddog, burnt
slate or mine refuse, commercial advertising
space for outdoor display sign, coke production.
South Union's amusement tax is at the
rate of one cent for each 25 cents or fraction
thereof.
EBENSBURG. PA.—The school board here
has enacted a five-cent amusement tax on
each admission and a five-cent levy on each
bowling game, plus a 100 per cent increase in
the per capita or "head" tax, which jumps
from $5 to $10, effective the first Monday
in July. The amusement tax is effective the
same date.
BRADDOCK, PA.—The school district here
has posted notice of intent to levy a 10 per
cent amusement tax. A resolution for the
imposition of this levy has been introduced
to the school board, according to John A.
Fortier, president of the board.
BOXOFTICE :: June 5, 1948 ME 81