Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-03-31 | Page 43 | Mayor has New Scheme to Tax Auto Owners

il HAS H SHE TO TU awes Proposed Chauffeurs' License Li-cense Hits Entire Family; All Who Drive to Be Made to Pay. Over five thousand automobile and truck owners who reside in Salt Lake are somewhat relieved from the fact that the city commissioners, by a vote of 3 to 2, decided not to impose any further burden upon them in tho way of taxation. When it is taken into consideration that perhaps one-third of all the automobiles and commercial wagons that daily ply the streets of the city are owned ami operated by people who do not reside within the corporate limits, the injustice of the proposed tax on cars owned by the residents living within the city is readily seen. But the end is not yet. The mayor, who is said to have fathered the tax ordinance that was defeated, has promised prom-ised to put over a chauffeurs' liceDse fee for each individual who drives a car. In this way be probably proposes to play both ends from tiie 'middle by assessinR ' every member in a single family who happens to be able to drive the family car. The idea is a grand one from a revenue standpoint. For instance, "father," who bought the car in the first place and went hunirry and almost had to give up the delight's of tobacco in order to meet the payments pay-ments on it, will pav a chauffeur's license; likewi-e "mother." who takes pleasure occasionally in calling- up a friend and going for a short soin around the not too well paved streets of the burg, will le decorated with a license tagf then come "Brother John" and "Sister Sue." and all the other members of the family wher aspire to drive tho family gas wagon all must pay or go to jafl that is, provided the mayor s Infest money-getting scheme becomes a law. Owners Should Act. It is up to the automobile owners and dealers of the city whether this new Attempt to raise money by t he city shall succeed or fail. A petition liberally signed by auto owners nnd a protest meeting attended by perhaps one-twentieth of all the our owners of the city, effectually checked the first attempt to saddle extra dues ou the auto fral-erniiy. Some concerted action to defent this new attempt to "fine" the entire family because thev happen to own and are competent to drive a ear, should be frustrated in event the mayor spring his new ordinance. The mayor has said he will surely propose it. ' He has passed the buck to the auto owners.