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Show J. M. HAYS HPJTIIE AH Editor: Allow me to present thr-following thr-following by way of answer to typical mis-statements of facts made in be- half of Constitutional amendment to Section 4, Article 13: ."The mines are assessed only $5.-. an acre on their ground." The Fact The mines are assessed " at $3151 an acre. "The net proceeds tax Is merely tax on profits." ' ",' The Fact Net proceeds are more than CO per cent greater than profits, because mine owners are not allowed to deduct such necessary expenses as damages and compensation, insurance, taxes, general office, etc. ' "The mines are paying lea taxes I than they paid under the old law." "The Fact The mines are paying hundreds of thousands more In taxes than they ever paid under the old law. The following table shows the Increased In-creased taxes paid by 20 mines n various parts of the states: Increase Over Year ' 1915 Taxes "'S I 80.64ft.Sl 392,852.25 ' 1J18 311.SB3.93 Total Increase $7Xri,3.''.6.4S These figures embrace only 20 mines and do not Include federal taxes tax-es or occupation tax. The occupation . tax adds more than $!)(i0,000 to the I additional state tax-s on mines In j 191S. . . I "The mining companies are seeking to escape their just share of taxation. The Fact (Mining companies are tho only taxpayers who have been fully and legally taxed ever since statehood. Net proceeds have always been assessed at d 00 per cent while all other property was assessed at 40 per cent and Icps for 20 years after statehood. The mining people did not promise or work for the tax law of 1915, or did they oppose its repeal at the last session of the lelgslature. But. the men who are supporting this amendment did not obtain the law of 1!M5 and they did oppose Its repeal and the restoration of the old law. 'The amendment will make It pos-Bible pos-Bible to tax mines at their full value." The Fact This Is child's talk. Economists, engineers, and all sensible sensi-ble taxation plans abandoned the vain attempt to determine the "full value" of a mine long ago. What the amendments "make -possible" is to tax mines at whatever value the stute board of equalization pleases. . "Taxes - could be reduced 10 per cent on other property If the mines now paid the same proportion of the state expenses as prior to 19 16." Question--As proved by the above figures, mines are paying thousand more than they paid prior to 1916; therefore, why have not tho other taxo.s been reduced? Hence my conclusion. Don't be milled mil-led by the Ignorance or willful perversion per-version of selfish politicians and others. oth-ers. They are getting more revenue? than ever before and spending It nil? The more they get, the more they'll spend. Vote "NO" on Amendment Numbers. JOUN'iM HAYKS Salt Lake City, October 2ti. |