Property and Corporation Taxes (Chapter XVII) — Frank A. Fetter
The Langenderfer Library: Classics in Tax, Economics, and AccountingShow Notes
Why has the general property tax so often failed to deliver the simplicity and fairness promised by its design? Frank A. Fetter examines problems of valuation, assessment, intangible property, land taxation, and the division of taxing authority among levels of government.
The chapter also considers the distinctive difficulties of taxing banks, insurance companies, transportation firms, and other corporations. Fetter connects technical tax design to broader questions of wealth distribution, political power, and practical reform.
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