Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1948)

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 luider 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 sparsely-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 ISSUE 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 : Crafton 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 wage 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 prefence 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. Pennsylvania’s 20 per cent soft drinks tax is costing Keystone Bottlers $40,000,000 in gross business loss for a two-year period. The association, fighting the tax in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, states that the commonwealth estimated that the levy would bring in $5,888,000 in the first four months of this year, but receipts were $3,514,396, or less than 60 per cent of the anticipated revenue. The bottlers asserted that tlie volume loss reflected in less-than-estimated tax returns A Tax Is a Tax Is a Tax May Answer This One Zanesville, Ohio — When is 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 three 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 2V2 mills the rate on real estate, making rate for school purposes 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 class 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 ipower of cities, boroughs and townships of the commonwealth. Meanwhile, still more local amusement taxes were being enacted or proposed. In Blawnox, the borough coimcil 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, imfair 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 childrerr’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. BOXOFFICE :: June 5, 1948 ME 81