Show Governmental Units in Utah Ought to Endeavor to Live Within Their Means Salt Lake City is at its legal taxing limit as far as pro property erty taxation goes City officials reportedly are considering the idea of a city sales tax taC as a means of raising additional revenue to pay for a number of needed city improvements for instance a new headquarters fire station tation improved water distribution facilities a civic auditorium etc The Salt Lake City school board has increased the total tax levy for school operations to the thc limit of mills allowed under present state laws That maximum tax levy a very sharp in increase increase increase in- in crease incidentally ov over r the school taxes paid in Salt Lake City a few years ago is only sufficient to give teachers a 2 per pcr cent increase in their salaries for forthe forthe forthe the 1949 19 school year Salaries will range from a beginning 2280 for teachers teachers teach teach- ers with a BA degree to a top of The teachers had ask asked cd for a salary schedule running from 2 2400 to for lor teachers with BA degrees A few weeks ago the finance committee committee committee com com- of the Utah Education association association association tion made a number of proposals for getting getting getting get get- ting additional revenue for schools one of which was for an increase in the state income rate The heat se seems ms to be on throughout Utah for more tax revenue The city wants to put a city sales tax on top of the states state's sales tax The school district imposes the maximum permissible levy Various proposals arc are made by various groups for new or increased state taxes to raise more revenue But no one seems to consider whether it is not time for all of the various governmental governmental gov goy divisions of Utah to begin Hy liy- liy- liy ing within their incomes incomes to to practice a little economy instead of just upping the tax every time they run nm short of money Utah is already notorious as the most heavily taxed state in the west west maybe maybe in inthe inthe inthe the whole nation We Ve have in our state just about every about every conceivable form of taxation taxation taxation tax tax- ever invented We Ve dont don't miss any of the major taxes such as property taxes income tax sales tax gasoline tax unemployment compensation tax corporation corporation corporation cor cor- franchise tax liquor profits which amounts to the thc same thing as asa asa asa a tax And we have a lot of the minor taxes too s such ch as the use tax the mine occupation tax the school lunch tax the beer tax and oleomargarine taxes the automobile property tax as aswell aswell aswell well as sized good-sized motor vehicle registration registration registration reg reg- fees the thc inheritance tax lax the insurance premium tax and a lot o of licenses li licenses licenses li- li censes and fees which amount to taxes by another name name and and smell no sweeter because of it Well Veil weve we've got cm em all And still sUli we ve talk about imposing more and heavier taxes When is it going to stop How can we hope to build our state and entice entice entice en en- tice new business and industry and wealth if we place such a tax handicap on every individual or business resident resident resident resi resi- dent The countr country at large is beginning to believe that Utah is deliberately erecting erecting erecting erect erect- ing tax barriers to frighten business away We Vc must stop thinking of the Utah tax well as an inexhaustible pool We Vc must stop thinking of our state stale as rich richand richand richand and able to bear an unusually heavy tax burden Its It's time for all the units of government in Utah to begin tightening belts and living within their means |