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Show State Press Leader Talks To Tax Group Clyde A. Eperson Gives Meeting "Man in Streets' Ideas On Revision Clyde A. Epperson, of Kaysvllle and Ogden, president of the Utah State Press association, pave tlie tax system revisers at the capitol Thursday, Thurs-day, what Mr. Epperson claimed was nn expression of the people of Utah, a sort of "Vox ropuli" by the large. He told the members of the legislative legisla-tive advisory committee and the tax revision commission what he conceives con-ceives the man on the street, and in the field expects of the revisers. He urged providing an easier means of i compelling law enforcement, and particularly observance of the law by men and women in public office. And he closed by assuring the joint session ses-sion for the editors, that when the.v had definitely decided on a plan, it would be analyzed and made subject of such comment as the editors, believed be-lieved to be in the best interests ot the people. Mr. Epperson said he had talked with the publishers of all papers in Utah except five in regard to taxes, lie lelieved he was carrying to the revision sessions the views of the majority. ma-jority. The editors know, Mr. Epperson says, what the taxpayers of the state want. The first Item is a reclassification reclassifi-cation of taxation. Taxes on real property have increased until the property has ceased to be an asset and is a liability. They are opposed to business taxes and income taxes unless thereby taxes now paid on property are lessened. They believe that financing companies, some of which do ? 10,000,000 of business in Utah, in a year, and have only a desk and a chair of tangible, property should feel the tax probe deep in their vitals. 'Some grave maters In the administration admin-istration of tax expenditures, Mr. Epperson said, require consideration. He instanced that in only one county coun-ty In the state Is the board of commissioners com-missioners living up to the law and to their oath of office in regard to indigent am dependent juothers funds. In Weber county the commissioners commission-ers would not require old age pensioners pension-ers to turn their property over to the county, as required by law, the speaker speak-er declared. Cuts Dependent List In Hair With Publicity. An editor in Iron county had published pub-lished u list of those on the indigent and dependent mothers' payroll In the county. The net result was that the Ust was shortened by about one-half. one-half. Mr. Epperson told of a county commissioner com-missioner who would personally solicit persons ailing to make application applica-tion for county aid, and when this was passed, would personally tako their check to such iersons. Nor did the indigents fail to remember the kind dispenser of public funds when time for the primaries came around. The commissioner was told of activities activi-ties of the local community chest by Dr. M. II. Harris, at the instance of Mr. Epperson. The county had been suportlng, to the extent of $2.r.00 a month, about 50 persons, living in hotels ho-tels in the city. The support was stopped and the men were told to report re-port at the county infirmary. Sixteen Six-teen reioited. One .said he'd be darned if he would go to the Infirmary. Infir-mary. He'd go back to his friends in Colorado first. Auditor Admits He Never Lived Up to Publicity Law. Neither, said Mr. Epperson, do county auditors hold their oaths of office as matters of great regard. An auditor in Weber county had told 'him he never had lived up to the publicity law. and, please God, lie never would. "If there is a class of people that can really be termed sanctified squanderers," squan-derers," said Mr. Epperson, "it is the schools. In the schools today they teach the boya und girls everything except to sim?I1 correctly, read intelligently intelli-gently and calculate accurately." Mr. Epperson paid his respects to a $100,000 printing plant which he said had been installed at the Salt Lake West high school. So far it has turned out a total of seven apprentices, ap-prentices, which he thought a rather high per capita average. The present board of education is of five members, Mr, Epperson went on. Suppose a school building Is really needed somewhere. Three members are required for a majority of the board, with result that to get one needed schoolhouso, they have to fcuild three. (Continued on Page 4) STATE PRESS LEADER TALKS (Continued from Pag- 1) Takes Rap at Pub lie School System of State, Mir. Epperson paid his respects to school boards which resist an effort to tell the public what they are doing with the public's money. "If the people d not know where the money is spent," he said," "it will bo very hard to make the public believe be-lieve that the money was well spent." A questionnaire showed that as high as 14 per cent of the school employees em-ployees in some counties are related to school board members. He cited an instance from Boxeldcr county, where a relative of the superintendent superintend-ent was hired as an architect for a new school building who was not nt that time licensed to practice architecture archi-tecture In Utah. "One might cite hundreds of instances," in-stances," said Mr. Epperson, "where public funds hace been misspent, because be-cause the officials knew the transactions transac-tions would not be made public." "It is futile to pass laws unless you' put sharp teeth in the mandatory laws regarding expenditures." Shows How to Save State $500,000. Mr. Epperson urged some law to simplify proceedure In obtaining the removal from office of an official guilty of the misuse of public funds. "If you can do that," he claimed, you wll save the people of the state at least $50000." Rep. David Ilirschi thought the trouble is not so much that the officials offic-ials are pufsyfoolers. but that the whole public is pussyfoot. Bankers and ihuslncss men were cited who were victims of 100 cases of fraud to every prosecution instituted. "Talk about teeth In the law," said Mr. Hlrschl,' "We need teeth In the people.' He thought that the evil of which Mr. Epiierson complained' could be reached along lines of "regeneration." "I do not say you could not improve im-prove matters some," he added. Chairman W. W. Armstrong of the commission said instances could Ik shown of laws now with plenty of teeth that are not enforced. Mr. Epperson Ep-person said that he was not advocating advocat-ing more laws. There are too many now, he added. Claims too Little Public Opinion Behind Laws. "And too little public opinion behind be-hind them," said Mr. Armstrong. General discussion followed. Mr. Epperson pointed out that it costs a private citizen aboirt $120 if he gets out to obtain the enforcement of a mandatory law In a siecific instance. Senator Knok Patterson suggested that some public body might be given the duty of seeing that laws are enforced en-forced and funds to carry on such work. Mr. Ilirschi felt that a word should be said in favor of the schools. The schools had been "lambasted" lefore the committee pretty freely, and the only voice In their favor he had heard so far was that of Mr. Armstrong. And yet they felt the schools to be so Important that they are turning over to them more than 50 per cent of the total revenue from taxation. In his own exierlenee in dealing with the schools, he had never had difficulty in getting at the facts, Mr. Epperson said had been withheld in other counties. He thought possibly such cases were isolated. Doesn't Believe Man Becomes Crook as Soon as Elected. "I do not subscribe to the theory that a man becomes n crook Just as soon as he Is elected to office," said Mr. Ilirschi. Nor did he find much protection in audits,, such as has been claimed for them. The state treasurer's office scandals and those in Salt Lake city and county had happened in spite of high priced audits. Later on Mr. Ilirschi paid his re spects to the $9,000,000 building program, pro-gram, spread over a ierIod of years, which had been advocated by Governor Gover-nor Dern, and which he viewed with nothing but impatience. 'Senator Patterson found the school people had a wonderful organization and that they are seeking to enlist the aid of other organizations of the state to raise more revenue so that they can get more salary. "Our school system should be constructed con-structed in accord with our ability to pay," he asserted. Mr. Epperson said there is "a vast difference between the school and the school board." |