Show bulging budgets budgets bigger bigger baskets of breaking back taxes This Is the time of year we may well review activities o othe of the past and formulate plans for future betterment ThIs Tills 1 Is particularly true In our relationships to the various levels o of government government federal federal state and local This applies both to services desired as well as our willingness to pay the costs thereof Manifestly we cannot have either Individually or collee collectively everything we wish we had As a practical matter everything must be geared to our willingness and ability to pay It Is becoming Increasingly Important that we take a close look at all public services with services with the price tag attached and and determine what should be done This Is the season when county budgets are determined as well as the time when the spending program of the state Is being formulated Then on the national level we are forcefully reminded of the dangers of the fulfillment oJ of Stalin's prophecy when he said We will force the United States to spend itself to destruction Are we wo Willing victims of our own folly tolly In tolerating and even encouraging the continued continued con con- increase in Federal budgets This is what has happened According to Budget in Brief Federal budget receipts taxes increased from billion in 1950 to billion in 1955 then up to billion in 1962 In the same period the debt jumped from 2574 billion in 1950 to 2744 billion bUlIon in 1955 and up to billion in 1962 The respective figures for tor 1963 Expenditures billion with a deficit around 8 billion bUlIon and debt 02 billion Russia take notice Defense All recognize the need of vast defense require requIre- ments From 1955 to 1962 such expenditures including foreign aid etc jumped from billion to billion or billion With tongue in cheek the politician has told us of the need for lor us to sacrifice for security then in the same period have increased lush and costly domestic programs programs programs pro pro- grams to the tune of 92 billion Were Stalin alive he would i gleefully applaud the fulfillment of his prophecy On the state and local level in the county the picture Is equally eC bleak According to Facts and Figures of Gov Government Finance and Census Bureau Reports total revenues taxes from own sou sources ces increased from billion in 1950 to billion in 1955 and on up to billion in 1960 Then in the same period 1950 to 1960 the gross debt jumped from billion to billion This additional 45 billion was also spent r School cost trends in Utah have increased faster than other governmental units From 51 1950 to 62 1961 over-all over outlays jumped from to For general operations the figures are re and On a aper aper aper per capita ADA rate the increase is from to Even since 1957 the increase is from to or 38 per cent Further school increases are arc in the offing Influential groups such stIch as PTA etc are vigorously working for foran foran foran an additional in operating revenues or 31 per cent plus around additional state school building aid Then the institutions of higher education have acute needs for much more money We remember that Utah already spends the highest ratio of her income for education There are real problems ahead Utah's Legislature has many difficult and serious problems problems lems to solve Most of them have dollar signs attached It must evaluate needs and establish priorities Then while recognizing that the taxpayer is already over-burdened over ascertain ascertain ascer ascer- tain possible tax increases The biggest job of the Legislature Is to apportion all available revenues as wisely as may be be- be within our ability to pay We fully agree with Thomas Jefferson when he said I place economy among the first and most important virtues We must make our choice between economy and liberty or profusion and servitude With the total tax bill in the country topping billion or over 31 per cent of all aU personal income in in- come we are well on our way to fulfilling Stalin's prophecy Jefferson has warned us Stalin has threatened us These are arc times when important and reaching far decisions must be made 4 We must realize that there is no free tree lunch in govern govern- ment meat Whatever services are provided and expenditures made It Is our money that pays the bill n. n 1 1 Utah Utah Taxpayers Association |