Show ESTIMA ESTIMATES TES DIFFER ON TAX EXCESS Alleged Overcharges Under Utah Sales Impost Probed INVESTIGATORS S SILENT I L lENT ENT Facts Sought to Present to Governor With two branches of the state gOVernment government government gov gOV- probing operations of Utah's sales tax or on the order of Governor Henry H. H Blood widely varying estimates esti est mates as amount of overcharging ing under the levy were made at the capitol Thursday On the basis of the November r report report re re- port of sales tax collections by the state tax commission some contended contend ed cd the overcharges amounted to several sev sev- sev eral oral thousand dollars Members of the tax commission who with the legislative committee of nine are investigating alleged unjust un tin- just collections declined to comment but it was expected that before the year is out a more or less accurate picture of the situation would be presented presented pre pre- seated to the governor for executive action Reports Report Collections The commission reporting Nov Novem November m m. ber sales tax collections counted in receipts and announced I that total collections since July 1 have reached Previous collections have averaged about a month indicating an annual yield of ot On an average aver aver- age monthly return of an annual yield of abo about t would result It is expected when December collections collections col cot are reported on on January 15 the mark for November willbe will willbe willbe be passed beca because se of ot Christmas shopping shopping shopping shop shop- ping and the increase in purchasing pow power created t by A payrolls The total collections represent about two months months' yield under the old three fourths of 1 per cent rate rat and the 2 per cent rate effective early in Au An- gust S Assuming as charged in the petition petition peti peti- tion Lion to to Governor Blood alleging unjust unjust unjust un un- just collections that merchants are withholding from the state surplus collected under the tax it was pointed out the total being lost to the state a practice would be considerable considerable con con- if it collections were even slightly over the legal rate of 2 per percent percent percent cent because of ot the large volume of business The petition asking elimination of unjust collections cited instances of ot 20 per cent collections Estimates at nt the capitol based on the returns did not go that high It w was s believed that a checkup of the state i if it revealed re- re revealed revealed re re- any surplus would place the average collection at between 2 and 4 per per cent Only Speculative However the were speculative speculative spec spec- and the commission was not prepared to say whether there Is an collection and whether there is need for changes in adminis adminis- Until the commission and the legislative legis committee of nine complete their investigations and report to Governor Governor Governor Gov Gov- Blood the amount of overcharging ing if any will remain a matter for speculation Meanwhile the commission reported report report- ed that total collections of all special taxes for November were were- and andI I for the period since July 1 1 |