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Show THE PACE EIGHT Here Is The Complete Text Of Governor Derns Reply To The Cache County Taxpayers Group CACHE COUNTY TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION lasgari, Utah Gentlemen: I have caiefully read your letter of August Mh. I fiDd therein three principal Hems, to wit: 1. A request that I voluntarily reduce my salary as governor 25 or 35 per cent, and urge other state, county and city officers to do likewise. 2. An attempt to discredit the tax amendments which were adopted by the people last fall and the legislation enacted pursuant there- to. threat that the taxpayers of Cache county may refuse to pey their taxes this fail If the aalaries of public officers are not forthwith reduced. 3. A DISCUSS THREE BIG PROPOSITIONS I shall discuss these three propositions in their inverse order. Before doing so, I want to assure yon that I am well aware of the distressful economic condition of the farmer this year and of the burdensome nature of bis taxes, I believe you will all agree that my past activities Indicate that I symand that pathize wilh the farmer tax load. I have ti'ed to ease his In other words, your communication Is addressed to a friend and not to an enemy. I know very well that the low prices of farm products accompanied by a drought means that it is going to be hard to raise money to pay taxes. The threat that the taxpayers xvill "bolt and refuse to meet the present tax burden Is unbelievable 1 prefer to believe that the intemperate language contained in your letter Is due to excessive zeal Tather than to any Idea of disloyally. I am sure the people of Cache County are good, law abiding citizens. I might remind yon that you owe your taxes, not to the stale officials, hut to the slate of Vtan, to Cache County, to your city and ' your school districts. Your threat. If carried out, would injure all branches of your government, and wou'd not Injure the officials. If you have a grievance against public officials your proper course Is to punish those officials instead of trying do tear down the structure of your own government. From the fact that In two different places your letter attempts to discredit the tax amendments 1 conclude that It was written by someone who was bitterly opand posed to the amendments who Is still fighting them. I get the impression tint tills animus is possibly one of the chief reasons why the letter was written by its author, whoever he may be. I respectfully remind you that the new tax laws have not yet been tried, and that before condemning them you had better wait and see how they work. The income tax does not go Into effect until next year, and it Is silly to t any effect from tlio new sys tern this year. ex-l'c- SURPRISED THAT FARMERS ARE HERE I have been told that your association ,3 compos, d largely of farmers, and I am surprised that farmers who were almost unanimously In favor of the tax revision program should now let them selves bo Inveigled into an insidious scheme to destroy it before it has had a chance to Justify Itself. 1 come now to your request that I reduce my salary and ask other public officials to do the same. You advance this as a plan to reduce taxes and you make an elaborate argument in support of the proposition. If 1 had any Idea that so simple a step on my part would bring about any substantial reduction in taxes I should very rhecr fully comply with your request. I'L fortunately I cannot see the remotest possibility that it would produce any such effort. The following are among the reasons I do not think your scheme would wotk. 1. Tiie salaries of all public officials are fixed hy law. If 1 were to reduce my own salary voluntarily and ask others to follow suit, w hat reason have we to expect that they would do so I should expect them to reason as follows: This is just a cheap grandstand play of the governor's to advance tils own political fortunes. Our salaries aie rixed by law, and we are entitled to them t Is only five months since, the legislature adjourned, and conditions are not much different row than they were then, but the legislature did not change our salar ies. It is the legislature's business, not the governors business, to say what saiaiies we shRll receive and we propose to abide hy the decision of the legislature. And that would he the end of it. The salaries of state officers are fixed by the representatives of the people in the legislature. The question of reduction of salaries wa- -, ' brought beroie the appiopriathms committee of the Senate and House white file legislature was in session a short time ago. Afier a thorough investigation of the problem, these committees decid cd against any such action, and yet you would hare me act contrary to tiie will of the people as expressed by their representatives Surely this is unreasonable. It is true that tile Su'e Boaid of Examiners has control over :he salaries fixed for state employees and may effect reductions in those salaries in an uib'trary manner. Rut the salary schedule of tiie slate employes was open to tiie legislature for iuspeition, and the appropriations made for Rlate was based upon the salary (schedule in effect when the legislature met. It seems to me that this request for reduction in salaries has come at a late date. The legislature met last winter, a budget was proposed. it was referred to the committees of the House and the Senate, and if you had Rny objection to the appropriations about to be made for salaries or any other pur- district school fund and state high school fund. The 1030 levies as follows: .... 2 4 Slate general fund State district school fund 4 .7 2 State high school fund were mills mills nulls Total state levy .... 7.3 mills The state general fund is the pose, you could, with full right, only one over whfch the governor have appeared before the legisla- and the leglsla'ure have any contive committees and could have trol. The cvuistitution provides that objected to any or all items in the not to exceed 2 4 mills may be This appropriation measure. Did you do levied for this ptirposp. this? Did anyone of yoa appear maximum has been levied for a before these committees? If you great many years, hence state did not, then you have let Pass general fund taxes have not been an opportunity of which you could Increased. The state district school fund have availed yuoi selves at a proper time and in a proper manner. levy Is governed by the constitu- (Ion which provides that the levy REQUESTS COME shall be such as to produce $25 00 AT LATE DATE for each school child in the state. Now as to the suggestion that I On account of this mandatory proto reduce officers local request vision which leaves no discreation their salaries, the law has provid- the slate tax commission was fored a way by which every taxpayer ced, much against Its own wishes, may be heard In regard to taxa- to raise the state district Bchool As the tion for loal purposes. levy this year, despite the hatd budgets are prepared they are giv- times. However, Cache County en publicity and any taxpayer gel more out of this fund than may appear before tiie officers of it pays Into It, hence you should tiie local taxing unit and protest not complain. I take the liberty of saving to against any item or all Items In the proposed budget. Have you you what I have often said before, met with your local officers? Did that when you blame the state you agree to the budgets that were government for your high taxes finally passed? If you did. then you are barking up the wrong yru are asking me to effect i tree. Your troubles are nearer reduction in a budget which has home, and hence more nearly unalready received your approval der your own control. Here are That is unfair from a practical the itemized levies and their perstandpoint and It Is completely centages for Logan for the current outside any concept that I have in year: regard to the duties of the goverSee Table A Below nor concerning the expenditures of local funds. Fiorn this It is obvious that the The constitution as amended smallest item In ths total tax burIt for the makes legisla- den In Logan City Is for state possible ture to grant authority to the slate general fund purposes. In view tax commission to control local of tills fact, why should the t of Cache County focus the budgets arid bond lssuea, but the last legislature granted no such attention of the people of the state to Commission the Tax on this small Item? authority Surely If so It is quite obvious to me that taxes are to he materially reducthe representatives of the people ed, reductions must come in those do not want any slate interference places where the greatest portion in local affairs for the present at of the taxes are .collected. It may least. I believe in local self gov- be argued that (lie stale levy for school purposes Is In reality the ernment, 2. The governor, of course, has levy for state purposes, but this nothing to do with the counties, view is untenable as the following cities and schools. Even if all tiie statement will show. See Table B Below elective slate officers, all mem hers of hoards and commissions, In addition to the amounts reall appointive heads of atale derailments, and the presidents of turned to Cache County as shown our Institutions of higher educa- above, the state returned $2,686.11 tion were to accept a cut of 25 as Its portion of the cost of colper cent tn thetr salaries, It would lecting taxes in your county. This only amount to something like goes to pay the state's portion $35,000 per year, which is so small of the salaries of the assessor and an amount that jt could not affect his deputies and the treasurer the tax levy. In order to get any and his deputies. When this is deappreciable saving it would be ducted from $3,480.69, it leaves necesiary to cut the pay of every $774.58to which represents taxes the state for various pursiate employe. As a rule these em- paid ployes ure today being paid lower poses from Cache County over and wages Ilian are being paid in above the amount directly returnprivate business, despite the claim ed by the state. Figured on a per that wages have been reduced. capita basis for the entire populaMany persons employed by the tion of Cache County, this amount state receive only ISO per month to 2.8 cents for each person. But and some of them work 12 horns the above docs not take into conper day A horizontal reduction sideration various miscellaneous of 25 or 33 per cent in nil wages expenditures of the state in Cache paid by the state Is not feasible County, such as the district court, thp Juvenile court, the salaries of and would not be just. representatives In the legislature, SHOULD LOOK etc. NEARER HOME 3. The state tax levy Is such a COLLEGE BRINGS small percentage of the tota! that IN HUGE SUM The figures which I have Just It cuts only a small figure. Please bear In mind that there are only presented, showing the taxes levthree levies for state purposes, ied in Cache County, are limited namely, slate generat fund, state to the property tax. They do not TABLE A State (ieneral Fund Schools State High School Fund State District School Fund ... Logan City School District .. Fount- - purposes Logan City TABLE B- - 2 4 19 8 15 20 35 52 6 85 16.00 45.05 mills 100 00 Tiual . ... Total Cache Stale High School Fund . State Hiatt let School Fund State General Fund Slate 5 33 43.94 mills 2 5 6 14 0 Logan City School District Chained To Received From Stale Slate $ 1.324 72 Slate High School Fund $3.47164 77.223 86 31,130 95 State District School Fund 15,896 66 Stale Genet il Fund . Total mills " Coutv . .. $80.695 50 $18,352 33 $ Difference $ 2,146 92 $ 10,343.17 In. $ 537 07 In. 20,508 17 In. 56,869.10 De. ScSo"' District 4.739 09 111,368 65 56,869 10 $ 5.276 16 131.876 62 $172.976 84 $137,152 98 All of Cache County $ 6.063 81 $ 8,747 80 High School Fund In 46,092 91 In 15 896 66 De $35,823 86 De. $ 2.683 99 In HERALD-JOURNA- im iude the revenue which comes Horn Cache County from the various special taxes. It Is Impossible to show this tevenue because the collet tions are made over the state as a whole and cannot be accur- ately allocated to any one county, nor have I shown the aid given to state Cache County by the through the instrumentality of the The appropriAgricultural College. ations made for the college last In Cache County year to be Bpent alone will exceed $200,000 for the current fiscal year. Surely all of in the specal taxes collected Cache County will fali below this amount. It is quite obvious that one of for high taxes in the reasons Cui he County can be traced to the bonded indebtedness for county, for schools and municipal In 1921, under the administration of a Board of County Commissioners composed of Henry A. Theurer and two gentlemen the people approved a bond Issue of $600,000 for roads. Tills quite naturally has Increased the taxes In Cache County. At various times bond issues have been fixated for Irxal purposes, so that on junP 30, 1930, the total amount Cache of outstanding bonds In County for county, school district all of and municipal purposes, which had been approved hy the people, amounted to $1,695,380. The total tax levies for both interest and sinking fund charges Cache for the various bonds in County amounted to a total tax of $149,190. The total property tax charged in Cache County for all purposes for 1930 was $892,927. Therefore, 16.74 percent of the total tax charged went for local Interest and sinking fund purposes. In the above, I have not attempted to say all that could be Bald In regard to the tax situation in Cache County. It ts a complicated problem hut I have tried to bring to the front some significant facts which prove conclusively that the Cache County lax burden Is purely local and has been voluntarily assumed .by the people of Cache County.- - GENERAL FUND LEVY ONLY SMALL SHARE If you want real tax relief it must come out of your county, city or school levies. If the stale general fund levy could he eliminated entirely you would hardly notice it, for you would only save 5.33 per cent. lu this connection may I refer to your statement that during the last fourteen years the Utah tax burden has marly trebled? And then you add: It might he Interesting for you to know that since you became governor lr January, 1925, t xes have increased from $20,891,885 to $26,593,182, an Increase of $5,698,-09means tn six years, which You will $948,679 pel annum. ftgioo with us that a goodly part of tiie above increase In yearly taxation has come In consequence of increased si larles." 1 will not nitree to anything of tiie kind, for it Is not true. Then has been no metertal increase in slate salaries, ami I do not believein there has been 11 largo Increase With county and city salaries. school salaries I am not so familiar, except that I know that school teachers salaries are low In comparison with many other states. It Is Impossible .'or mo to reconcile the above figures with official' reports. The following tabulation taken from the 17th Biennial Report of the Sta'e Board of Equalization and from a statement prepared by the State Auditor, gives tiie official record on this subject: See Table C Below. 7 18, 1931. Wednesday Specials Below J for Cantaloupes, each 5 Sweet, Juicy Oranges, dozen ... . 190 Pint Jars Salad Dressing Kidney Beans, 19c tall cans iQj Boston Baked Beans, 19c cans 100 Pint. Bottle 34-l- 100-Pro- Vinegar of m can Pure Cocoa b. can Folgers Shasta Coffee b., Arthur Campbell; World war veteran and resident of Logan, died Monday night at the Veterans hospital In Boise, to word received here. according Funeral arrangements have not been announced. Mr. Campbell was born in Long Valley, Idaho, June 25, 1887, the son of Levi and Lucinda Campbell. He homesteaded in Wyoming In 1911 and came to Logan in 1917 where he married Mabel Austin on October 30. He Joined the United States army in 1918 and was stationed with. the 89th Spruce division at ancouver, Washington. He was discharged in January, 1919. He has been in the hospital since August 27, 1930, suffering from tuberculosis. He is survived by his widow, RICHMOND The Scandinavian Mabel Austin Campbell, and the following children: Clinton, Ar-Good Fellows society held their regular monthly meeting Thuts-da- thiir, Robert. Dean and Wanda. Surviving brothers and sisters are evening at the Richmond tabanfl lrvin Campbell, ernacle with Anthon Christensen MURmTii Al in charge. Kempton, Naf, IdahoCommunity singing was led by M,S' Chris-tena Mrs. N. E. Rasmussen with B Cm istensen anchard at the piano. Orson Garff of Logan gave a very interesting taik. Mrs. Orson Garff gave two dramtic readings. Prof. Henry Otte, formerly of but now residin.3 in Arizona, favored w ith several musical select ions. The remainder of the evening was spent with lunch and dancing. Plans were made for, an outing to take place, Sunday. August 23, at the Ernest Jenson place in Mink Creek. It was also decided to have a dance Tuesday night in honor of Peter Jorgensen of Preston who leaves Wednesday for a month's visit in Michigan. 50 3 lbs. Tomatoes 100 MEAT DEPARTMENT 2 lbs. Home Rendered Lard .... (Bring Your Own Pail) 150 Fresh Side Meat 100 LB. Loin Roast of Veal Veal Stew, for Stuffing LB. Shoulder Roast of Veal LB. 1 CASH MAEECETS y ' - 1 nIahl S&rSsyK' UN. Main. 395 W. Center "1 lx)-ga- n We Reserve The Right To Limit Quantities SUGAR TOMATOES LOS 30-l- Large and Juicy Per Dozen Bargain Fare HONEY EVERY DAY TILL NOVEMBER 1st Comfortable chair car and crtacli service, with dining car or convenient station tafe meal service en route. Dally fioni Utah points on the Los Angeles A-- Salt Lake Railroad to Ias Angeles, lasadena, Bars'ow, Fpmona, San Bernardino, Daggett, RnetsMe, Yermo. Proportionately low faies to other California points. F. L. details C0RN-FLAKESk- 9c 250 POTATO EACH Bring Your Own tainer; Per 250 -' J50 lice Size VINEGAR One-Wa- y For further SN PEPPERS MELONS $1.43 590 HONEY 290 VIENNA SAUSAGE 3Ubcbn: Buckeye BAG 100 OATS Lug GRAPES 2l7ou5os ANGELES ! POUNDS. 2 PICKLING ONIONS SWEET POTATOES;''- 4o BARGAINS or Crystal White Laundry BANANAS LEMONS THURSDAY - (With Other Merchandise) A. B. Qp Where Savings Are Always Greater Oi WEDNESDAY GREEN seieral thousand dollars each j year above my salary. I have not! .. Bread, large loaves CANTALOUPES ( California Solid Head Lettuce ng DOUND TO FAIL YORK, Aug. 18. (UP) The Soviet experiment in Russia is bound to fail because Stalin is spending money like an inebriated sailor, Frank W. Noxon, president of the chamber of commerce, Alexandria, Va., said on Ins return to this country. j are a few of the Special Values to be had at the Utah Cash Markets. These stores feature Quality Groceries and Fresh Meats. Well be looking for you Wednesday. John A. Hendrickson received word Tuesday morning of the death of hisbrother Michael Hendrickson, 79, at Great Falls, Mont., Tuesday at 9 a. m. after an illness of one year duration. Mr. Hendrickson was a pioneer mining man, stock raiser and ranchman of Montana, gone there when 19 years old. Funeral arrangements have not been made, services and burial will be at Great Falls. Mr. and Mrs. Hendrickson will leave Wednesday morning by automobile for . Great Falls. Mr. Hendrickson was born In Norway, the son of Michael and Mary Hendrickson. He immigrated with his parents to the United Slates and came first to Utah. Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Loe Hendrickson and one daughter, Mrs. James Oscar, Dodson, Mont.. J. A. Hendrickson of Logan Is the only surviving member of the Hendrickson family. Four other brothers and sisters died several years ago. NK j hip I complained, because I knew what the saiaty was when I accepted the office, and the constitution provide that the salaries of state otticers may not be raised nor reduced during the term for which Under these they were elected. circumstances, do you think it is quite generous for you to ask me to make a further contribution to the state? I have already stated that I should gladly do so if it would bring tax relief to my fellow citizens, but nobody who is familiar with t lie situation ea seriou&ly maintain that this is possible. I also remind you that the present salary of the governor was fixed in 1911, when living costs were at a minimum. It was not raised with the rising price level caused by the war, and lienee the increased cost of living was equl valent to reducing the salary. If the cost of living is now going down perhaps tiie state will soon be paying tne governor w hat It Intended to pay him in 1911. Of course, food and clothing are only a Btnall part of the governors expenses. Many other essential items have not shown any tendency to come down from the war level. I repeat that your assertion that the salaries paid to the state of fleers, university and college city and county employes are the real cause tor the increase of taxes dtying ttfe past few years will not stand the test of an Investigation. There have been some increases, to be sure, but, so far as the state Is concerned, they have not Increased taxes. The State Board of Examiners passes on all salary changpg. IIb policy has been to resist increases, and It will continue its policy of economy. The state government Is being as efficiently conducted as Is the average private enterprise. I am always interested In any plan to reduce taxes. The rne you have suggested will obviously not work. By the way, if you really want to reduce sta'e expenditures, why don't you advocate shutting down the Agricultural College and doing ail the work at the University? I do not recommend such a course, nut it would save the state several times as much money as you scheme to reduce salaries. Very respectfully yours, PLACE BLAME NEW YORK. Aug. IS. (U.R Murder on the high seas or suicide are belived responsible for disappearance of a wealthy Japanese silk importer and business man while on a "show hoat cruise with his young daughter and her pretty showgirl governess. From the above tabulation it is obvious that the Increase in taws during my administration is not your according to $5,698,097 statement. If one will study this tabulation carefully, tt is not difficult to see where the increase comes. The largest single item is for district and high schools. Next to it in Importance ts the revenue from special taxes for roads, the gasoline sales tax and the motor vehicle tax. The other miscellaneous taxes are small in Importance. You will note that the revenue charged to the Stale General Fund "Net in 1925 from the property tax was $1,156,311, and tn 1939 it was $1,258,608, or an Increase of for this $102,000 approximately purpose hut no part of this increase falls in Cache County as a will follows tabulation which show. The following quotation from the official report of the State Board of Equalization nhove referred to stiows a comparison of taxes between 1925 and 1930 in Cache County. This informal inn covers the property tax only, and does not include any special taxes. See Table I) Below. From tills, it wilt he observed t Hat the taxes for state general fund purposes show- - a slight decrease in Cache County, white the taxes for schools and roads show an increase. In view of these facts I am sorry that you printed such a misleading statement in your letter. The same deceptive figures were used duiing the last political campaign, which makes me suspect that theie may have been some politics in the mind of the man who wrote your letter. It is true that the letter naively says. It is not our pur-- ! pose to place the responsibility of this increase with any political party, with any man, or with any group of men," If Hint statement is made In good faith I should like to ask why the author took pains! to say that the tax burden had greatly increased during my as governor. SALARY OF GOVERNOR ABNORMALLY LOW I allow myself the libeity of referring btietly to the governors salary. The salary of the govettiot of Utah is very low in comparison with other states. particulaiU w 'non we take into account the fact hat Utah is one of the very few states which lias no governors linflliin Tlia Jvjvjjvw imv )wvjn $25,511 In. AUGUST TUESDAY, L Con- Gallon Gallon 290 390 Fr"" CHIPS Pound 290 salmon! BROOMS 250 390 2 Quallty or APRICOTS, Libbys Tall Cans; 2 FOR 250 PEACHES Tall Cans 150 PEARS 2Libbys FOR 290 PINEAPPLE Sliced: 2 No. 22 cans 890 Can 290 COFFEE 250 350 350 Chase and Sanborn 350 ,25c rS PAEUEr LUiT Eli Sewe11 DBEAn DIVDjnLJL Sewell's Loaf Raisin, White or Whole Wheat; PCR LOAF Luxury (Tumbler Free) POUND rs 9 AritC 16-o- z. P consult SCOFIELD Agent IN OUR MARKET SIRLOIN STEAKS OJEdOON PAOHC The Overland Route MUTTON CHOPS I MUTTON STEW S L"" 35 BACON 190 T BONE STEAKS iet 'T IIVFR SQUARES Choice POUND - albs. jg .. . I4 ... , |