Show MINE TAXATION since the last issue of the mining minin 9 review much interest has been taken in the resolution of 0 senator D 0 rideout of 0 utah for a constitutional amendment changing the method of mine taxation at the present time mines are taxed on their net proceeds and the change involved by the adoption of a constitutional amendment would consist of an assessment on a valuation of mining property As a general rule mining men are much opposed to the proposed change as such a method would to a very large extent leave the whole matter of taxation in the hands of assessors who it is implied might make grave mistakes in placing valuation on mining property and for the simple reason that no mine or mining property has any real value unless prospectively unless it is a profitable producer and it is very wisely claimed that no one can place a real value on mining property developed or undeveloped unless it is capable of making a profit above all operating expenses mining ground is unlike farm lands and city property the one has an intrinsic value in itself because of its surface area and because of what this surface will produce mining areas on the contrary are nine tenths absolutely worthless because their surface will produce nothing agriculturally tu rally while no ore or mineral of value exists below the surface to tax such ground therefore as an adjoining adjo ning property might be taxed that was producing would be unjust and to tax the producing mine on its acreage and improvements would be unjust also as it might cease to be productive at any time it would seem a poor policy when mining interest is reviving and when so much depends upon the success of the industry to harass those who are engaged in this occupation by unjust laws and needless legislative restrictions |