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Show UTAHNS PAY ONE-THIRD OF INCOME IN TAXES Nearly a third of the personal income received by individuals in Utah went for taxes in I960, according ac-cording to a year-end review of governmental activities prepared by Utah Foundation, the private governmental research organization. organiza-tion. The Foundation study shows that Utahns paid a total of $525 million in Federal, state and local lo-cal taxes during the 1960 fiscal year. Total taxes paid by Utahns amounted to $212 million in 1950 and $51 million in 1940. Taxes in 1960 were equal to nearly $600 for every man, woman wo-man and child residing in the state. Thus, for an average family fam-ily of four persons, the tax burden bur-den amounted to nearly $2400 in 1960. Although income levels in Utah have nearly doubled since 1950, the Foundation observes that taxes are taking an increased portion of the higher incomes. In 1960 approximately 32.3 of the total personal income of individuals individ-uals in Utah went for taxes (both direct and hidden). By contrast, the relative tax burden was 25.9 in 1950, 20.2 in 1940, and 11.9 in 1930. Foundation analysts point out that government not only takes the largest share of the personal expenditure dollar, but conversely converse-ly is also the largest single supplier sup-plier of personal income in Utah. More persons in Utah are employed em-ployed by government (Federal, state and local) than by any other segment of the state's economy. econ-omy. In June, 1960, there were 61,796 persons working for some governmental unit in Utah. This is equal to 23 of the total non-agricultural non-agricultural work force of 270,-000 270,-000 in the state. In addition, there are many others who are employed by private concerns which deal primarily in governmental govern-mental contract work. The study shows that Federal taxes accounted for $331 million or 63 of the 1960 tax load in Utah, while state and local taxes were equal to $194 million or 37 of the total. This is almost a direct reversal of the situation that prevailed in 1940 when 69 of the total tax burden resulted from state and local taxes and only 31 from Federal taxes. According to the Foundation study, most of this shift in emphasis em-phasis to the Federal government occurred during the war years of the 1940's when Federal taxes and expenditures expanded greatly. great-ly. Within recent years, however, how-ever, the rate of growth in state and local taxes has been greater than that of the Federal government. govern-ment. Since 1955, state and local lo-cal taxes in Utah have increased 66, compared with a 45 rise in the Federal tax burden. As expected, education is the No. 1 expenditure item for state and local government in Utah. The Foundation reports that Utah spent $131.1 million for ed- ucation (local schools, colleges and other) in fiscal 1960. This represents an increase of $12.2 million, or 10 during the year. Education expenditures in Utah have trebled in the past decade and have multiplied more than 3Vz times within the past 20 years. Part of the rise is accounted ac-counted for by enrollment increases in-creases and reduced purchasing power of the dollar. Welfare expenditures increased mod-rately in Utah during I960, according to the study. Utah continues to provide grants that are above the U S average for most categories of public assist-ince. assist-ince. The Foundation reports that, highway spending declined somewhat some-what in 1960 as a result of the 1959 cutback of the scheduled federal highway aid program, "lespite this fact, highway expenditures expen-ditures in Utah during 1960 still "re nearly 2V2 times above the '"55 level and nearly four times hit for 1950. |