Show TIME TO START THAT ROAD TO MOON LAKE People are beginning to yonder wonder when the Forest Service is going to start work vork on the road to Moon Lake Two months ago the WP A announced ap approval h roval rov- rov a al 1 of a project for a aLake forest road b between veen t Moon 1 Lake and l Home HOlne This would take in the section between bet the cattle guard near Twin vin Pots and the lake a stretch of about seven miles There has been some comment among a few v concerning concerning con con- concerning which side of the river the new nev ro road d should follow some believing that the Northeast side of the river river would offer more advantages than the route now nov followed To us this seems a matter of engineering engineer engineer- ing g entirely and one to be decided entirely by r the forest service We have heard no indication that the Question has anything anything- to do with the delay but such thin things g s are apt t to do just that and we ve believe it would be a wise vise move on the part of all those interested to immediately eliminate any possibility r of this by declaring declaring de de- de- de claring daring themselves impartial and leaving the question to the forest engineers entirely Whatever t the he cause of the delay it should be ferreted out and removed as speedily as possible Several years ago while the dam darn was vas under construction construction construe construe- t tion ion a promise was vas made by the forest service that as soon as the hauling of heavy equipment etc over thet the road was as t completed a g good road would be built forthe for forthe the benefit of the When the project was vas announced early in May l it was vas of course supposed supposed supposed sup sup- posed that it would proceed in a short time and that construction would be under way yay at an early date Not another word vord has been heard about t the project however and only a few v months of good construction weather veather remain It is t time for the entire county to begin stirring itself about this project It is is' important im arn- to bus bus' business ess of all kinds lands as well vell as to sportsmen sportsmen sports sports- j men and STATE LANDS AND TAXATION At the budget meeting of the Duchesne County I Board of Education last Friday Attorney L. L A. A Hollenbeck Hollenbeck Hollenbeck Hol Hol- presented in considerable able detail his opinion with several supporting refer refel references concerning the taxation of lands in the county held by the State Land Board Mr Hollenbeck while County Attorney won von a case in the district court and in the state supreme court i by i which 1 i the state i was vas ordered to pay all taxes due Que on the lanas lands at th the time they were vere taken over I The supreme court while recognizing reco the question asto as asto asto to whether or not the state should pay taxes on the lands after acquiring it did not render rendel- a decision on om the question It Itis is Mr Hollenbeck's opinion that these taxes can be collected and he is seeking the ce of the school board in bringing the matter before the courts The State Tax Commission it seems has advised all county assessors assessor's that these lands should not be assessed assessed assessed as as- and consequently County Assessor Levi Lev J J. Anderton Anderton Anderton An- An derton has not assessed them Appeals to the county commissioners to disregard the Tax Commission and have the lands assessed have failed Mr Mi Hollenbeck would like to have the school board bring a mandamus action against the assessor demanding that h he e assess the lands thus bringing the rn matter otter before the courts No decision was vas reached by the school board board- because because because be be- I cause of other pressing busin business ss though it would be bewell bewell bewell II well within its rights as one of the taxing units to take action In the mean luean time it seems that this is is a question that affects all the taxpayers of the county and one which might best be handled through the Duchesne Duchesne Duchesne Du Du- chesne County Taxpayers rs Association In the face ace of the success of Mr Ml Hollenbeck in the case already decided by the courts we ve cannot understand the hesitancy hesitancy hesi hesi- tancy of the county to proceed on an the matter of curr current current cur cur- r rent nt taxes without taxes being forced to i it t b by court action but if court action must be brought it might have the best support if backed by the taxpayers as a group It is well vell worth their there consideration anyway The payment of current t taxes on these lands is is far farr more important than the payment of delinquent taxes when the lands are acquired Under present con conditions thousands of acres of good farm land are being used supporting families whose members share in our schools our police protection roads our etc 1 but who vho not are contributing through the payment of I taxes on the lands they farm because the they Y are l i renting enting entin g them or purchasing sing them from the State Land Board These lands should be made to pay then their share of the cost of government regardless of who vho owns them Too if the state were vere forced to pay taxes tares on them I more effort undoubtedly would be made to get the lands back into private ownership and after all this is the greatest goal Duchesne c county aunty is is suffering now from the fa fact t that too man many y of its citizens are leasers and share croppers What we ve need is more actual owners O They do the best farming and make mane the most improvements and they usual usually r are the best citizens citizens |