Show THENO POSED not a few people have asked what the proposed amendment to article 13 ot of the state constitution contemplates and in view bf bt the fact that the voters are asked to pass judgment on the proposition the matter Is worthy of discussion most people hold to the notion that tampering with the constitution Is very dangerous business and on that ground alono alone doubtless there are many who would vote against the amendment without giving it further consideration but a perusal ot of the question develops some very interesting facts particularly interesting to box elder county because this county co will be seriously affected by the amendments if they carry the proposed bill has been labeled an amendment to readjust the taxation of mines and while that Is the first point taken up there are other points which have been silently disposed of by elimination which bich strike at the very heart of things in this county for instance it is proposed to e ecim binate sections 10 and 11 which read as follows see sec 10 all corporations or persons in this state or doing business herein shall be subject to taxation tor for state county school municipal or other purposes on the real and personal property owned or used by them within the territorial limits of the authority levying the tax 01 see sec 11 until otherwise provided by law there shall be a state board of equalization consisting of the governor state auditor state treasurer secretary of state and attorney general also in each county of this state a county board of equalization consisting of the board of county commissioners of said county the duty of the state board of equalization shall be to adjust and equalize the valuation of the real and personal property among the several counties of the state the duty of the county doard board of equalization shall be to adjust and equalize the valuation 0 or the real and personal property within their respective counties each board shall also perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law by striking out those sections it is plain to be seen that the money rs ra belted from the taxation of the public utilities which must now be paid to the territory within which those corporations are now doing business would no longer be thus distributed but would be disbursed by the state and the money would go to some place other than to the county in which it was taxed the public utilities in box elder county and fate or good fortune is responsible for their location here pay just about LO CO per cent of 0 our taxes in other words for every dollar that the private tax payer contributes to run the county government the public utilities contribute an equal amount amount under the proposed amendment this county would lose that revenue which has been figured out on the basis of t for every mill 0 of taxation so BO that by multiplying that amount by the full rate of taxation the property in box elder county Is assessed one can gain some idea of the amount of revenue this county would lose As will be noted section 11 provides tor for a local board of equalization composed of the county Corn commissioners mis to sit in adjustment of the taxes of the people by eliminating it under the proposed amendment to the constitution the power of the county commissioners as a county board of equalization is abolished and the state officers would come into this county and sit in judgment on the assessment of the property of the taxpayers to determine whether or not a just assessment had been made these two sections bear more directly upon the interests of this county than any of the other proposed amendments mend ments to article 13 and from all appearances the effort is being made mada iu in this manner to bring about what has already been attempted in the legislature lAgi slature i 0 that of so changing the system of ot taxation to permit the state board of taxation to have greater power in the distribution of tax money and take from counties which are fortunately situated in this and give div i e to those who have not so many public utilities it will doubtless be recalled that box elder county has been the special object of legislation of this sort not less than two attempts having been mado made to cut off the southern part of this i county and annex it to weber county in order to get the ion long g stretch of 0 southern pacific railroad alil which oh traverses close to the county line in this county those attempts were due cess coss fully thwarted by our county representatives in the legislature and that avenue has been shut off now comes this apparently harmless amendment inen men dment to the state constitution cons which it passed will have the same effect and box elder county will lose |