Show Report of Agricultural Economy League of Utah The farmers of this state have become really min economy economy led They have seen the futility of attempting attempting at at- t- t tempting in a mild mannered way to get any relief from the tax burden They recognize furthermore furthermore furthermore further further- more that the farmers acting alone can make malte no progress unless unless unless un un- un- un less they can invite the interest and sympathy of other taxpaying groups In order to work out such a aplan aplan aplan plan of co operation co-operation some of the leading farmers in this state met metin metin metin in Salt Lake City on January 4 and formulated what will be known own as the Agricultural Economy Economy Economy Econ Econ- omy League of Utah with the following officers J. J R. R Peterson Salt Lake City President S. S M. M I. I Nielson Mt Pleasant vice dent Parley Glover Salt Lake Lale County secretary and the following fol following fol- fol lowing directors N. N C. C Christensen Christen- Christen sen Utah county Frank Druary Tooele county M M. P. P Brown Weber Web Web- i er county and Orson A. A Christensen Christen- Christen sen Box Elder county As time I proceeds according to President Petersen on the General Committee will be enlarged ed to include leading farmers from every county The purpose of the organization tion said Mr Air Petersen is to toI I bring bang about immediate action for relief This is not in conflict with any other agencies but rather in operation co-operation with them We have requested and have been given a place on the General Committee of the Utah Ta Taxpayers payers Association Association tion and have f Mr A. A F. F of West Jordan to fill filp that important post The meeting at which this action action action ac ac- ac- ac tion was taken passed important resolutions demanding substantial re-organization re of all department departments departments depart depart- ments ment of state and local government government government govern govern- ment curtailment of unnecessary activities and readjustments of wage schedules It is idle for anyone anyone anyone any any- one to think that the public payroll payroll payroll pay pay- roll can continue on the same high level while the farmers and andI I other taxpayers have been re reduced reduced re- re to poverty We Ve cannot play piny politics with economics said Mr Petersen We Ve must choose e between between between be be- tween them and the farmers of this state through this organization tion have decided to follow the theline theline theline line of sound economics and to demand necessary reforms in government We must have better better bet bet- ter government at less cost The League is arranging to have a strong delegation call upon upon upon up up- on Governor Dern and ask him to issue a proclamation calling for less expense reduced payrolls in our state cities counties and school governments government We are calling calling calling call call- ing upon all the heads of our educational educational educational edu edu- institutions to begin at once to reduce their costs We Weare Weare Weare are asking the State Tax Commission Commission Commission Commis Commis- sion to place a reduction of 25 upon grazing and agricultural lands We are asking that general general general gen gen- eral property be no longer taxed for state highways but that the tax for that purpose shall be raised raised rais rats ed from gasoline motor vehicle licenses and from a substantial tax upon the commercial convey- convey Continued on last page I AGRICULTURAL ECON ECONOMY ECONOMY OMY LEAGUE Continued from fro page one ances that use use our highways The resolutions as passed by bythe bythe bythe the League f follow and it is hoped that these will strike a responsive chord in the heart of every farmer and in f fact ct every taxpayer in Utah RESOLUTIONS 1 WHEREAS the present economic economic economic eco eco- situation has reduced the ability of the taxpayers to meet their obligations and WHEREAS this same depression depression depres depres- sion slon has increased the purchasing power of the dollar and this bene- bene fitted all whose incomes are derived derived derived de de- de- de rived from salaries and wages and WHEREAS a big jig factor in the expenditures of government is the public payroll BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED ED that we ask the Governor of the state to issue a call to all elective elective elective elec elec- tive officers of the state county city and schools to adjust all wages and salaries both of elective elective elective elec elec- tive and appointive officers on a basis comparable to the reductions reductions reductions which have been forced upon upon upon up up- on all private industry BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that these reductions be graduated ed in character but not less than 15 under the present level BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED I that all all budgets be reduced to the amount of savings thus made through this process of wage and salary adjustments in the state and the other taxing units 2 BE IT RESOLVED THAT WE request the regents of th the University University University Uni Uni- of Utah the Board of Trustees of the Utah Agricultural College and the boards of supervisors supervisors supervisors super super- visors of other state educational institutions together with all other boards of education that in recognition of the present distress distress distress dis dis- dis- dis tress of the taxpayers and the absorption absorption absorption ab ab- ab- ab sorption of their resources and surpluses to enter in at once upon upon upon up up- on a study of the wages and salaries salaries sal sal- aries paid all in our educational institutions BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we express here our belief and faith in the school people of this state and in their willingness to accept such adjustments adjustments' Jas Jasmay jasI jasmay may be found in keeping with the general economic situation of I those who are called upon to support support support sup sup- port the school system I BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we look upon these I ments as being In the interest of education and as the surest and I safest guarantee for the continuation continuation continuation contin contin- of the full school year and the thc maintenance of the present high standards of education I f i BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED I I that we ask that these adjustments adjustments adjustments adjust adjust- ments shall be graduated in charI character char char- acter after but shall not be less than I 15 under the present wage or salary level n 3 I WHEREAS the mounting costs of government are due to the in increased increased in- in creased d activities and obligations which government is now assuming assuming assuming assum assum- ing and WHEREAS the these e increased activities activities activities ac ac- have continued irrespective of their need or necessity and In spite of the e present distress and WHEREAS these increased activities activities ac ac- ac- ac have created increased payrolls and Increased costs of maintenance and operation of departments departments departments de de- de- de and Institutions BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED RESOL VED V- V ED that we ask all state and local lo- lo lo local cal cai governments to enter at once upon an unbiased searching survey survey survey sur sur- vey of their respective departments departments departments depart depart- ments and institutions with a aview aview aview view of discovering possible savinGs savinG's savings savings sav sav- ings inG's through the elimination of needless activities and expensive duplications BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all departments and institutions institutions institutions in state and local government government government govern govern- ment be asked to make malco corrections corrections corrections which such a survey justi justi- fies BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the taxpayers of this state I operate co-operate with the state and lo 10 cal governments In conducting such s survey and in relinquishing and discontinuing all needless activities activities activities ac ac- ac- ac and In making comparable reductions in the public payrolls 4 WHEREAS the valuation on all property has decreased to new low levels and WHEREAS the constitution calls for the assessment of property property property prop prop- erty at Its cash value BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED RESOL VED V- V ED that we call upon the State Tax Commission to issue orders and instructions to all county assessors assessors assessors as as- and deputies to lower the I assessed valuation of all agricultural agricultural agricultural tural and grazing properties 25 in keeping with actual present values and that this revaluation revaluation revaluation re tion be effective in 1932 5 WHEREAS the benefits of highway construction and maintenance maintenance maintenance main main- are arc no longer confined to the owners of general property proper proper- ty and WHEREAS the whole general public has now become the beneficiary beneficiary beneficiary bene bene- of our highway hway system THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED RESOL VED V- V ED that hereafter no levy shall be made mad for that purpose upon general but that state highways be constructed and I maintained from taxes levied on gasoline motor vehicle licenses and upon all commercial carriers using state highways BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED ED that we petition the Governor Govern Govern- I 1 I or and the state legislature to prepare and p pass ss appropriate legislation on this subject 6 WHEREAS the agricultural interests of this state have haye been the he victims of the present reduction reduction reduction I tion in commodity ty price and WHEREAS their only hope bope of I relief is In reduction of the tax burden and WHEREAS it is the belief bellef of the agricultural interests here her represented that complete coordination coordination coordination or co of taxpaying interests must be effected in order to bring about reduction in costs of bov- bov BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED RESOL VED V- V ED that we operate co-operate and coordinate coordinate coordinate or co with all other taxpaying interests in the state under the leadership of the Utah Taxpayers Association in a program of ot expenditure expenditure ex ex- control and increased efficiency and economy in gov gov- I I 1 I BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon all citizens engaged engaged engaged en en- in agriculture in this state to lend their support to this movement movement movement move move- ment and to lend their Influence in their respective taxing units to the work of the state and local lo local local lo- lo cal committees of the Utah Taxpayers Taxpayers' Taxpayers Taxpayers' Tax Tax- payers' payers Association 7 WHEREAS agricultural Interests interests interests inter Inter- ests are continually affected by bythe bythe bythe the problems o 0 and WHEREAS it is necessary that they shall have a continuing voice that will be both heard and respected respected res- res wherever problems of taxation taxation tax tax- alion arise BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED ED that we here constitute ourselves ourselves ourselves our our- selves Into an organization to be known as THE AGRICULTURAL AL L ECONOMY LEAGUE OF UTAH BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we here appoint a president vice-president vice secretary and such other officers as may be necessary necessary necessary sary whose duties and functions shall be to represent the taxing interests of agriculture In the field of expenditure control BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we invite all other agricultural agricultural agricultural tural Interests to operate co-operate with us In the fulfillment of this pur pur- pose |