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Show FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1974 Page Eight Harold T. Newman Seeks to House District 29 Property Taxes $90 Million In Salt Lake County Last Year Although the property tax commonly is regarded as a tax charged to homeowners, more than half of all property taxes imposed in Utah last year was paid by owners of commercial and industrial property. This was pointed out by Utah Foundation, the private tax research organization, in their latest analysis of the property tax. The Foundation report, which was based on data gathered by the Utah State Tax Commission, shows that total state and local property taxes levied throughout Utah during 1073 amounted to $170,641,107. The various identifiable classes of commercial and industrial property accounted for $83,792,115, or 49.1 of this total. On the other hand, residential property taxes equaled of the to$62,034,698, or 36.4 tal, and agricultural property taxes were $8,284,357, or 4.9 of the total. In addition to these major categories, property taxes on motor vehicles amounted to $13,942,-76- 9 (8.2 of the total), and miscellaneous property taxes equal- ed $2,587,168 (1.5 of the to- tal). Motor vehicles include commercial trucks and business ve- hicles as well as passenger cars and farm trucks. A significant part of the miscellaneous category also consists of taxes on business items. There is considerable variation among Utahs 29 counties in the proportion of property taxes coming from the various property sources, according to the Foundation. In Salt Lake County last year, total property taxes levied amounted to $90,539,328. Commercial and industrial property accounted for $48,039,526 or 53.1 of this total, residential property was equal to $33,244,-33- 5 (36.7), agricultural prop- $1,028,558 (1.1), motor vehicles $6,962,532 (7.7), and all other property $1,264,377 erty -- (1.4). Total property taxes imposed in Utah last year rose by $1,433.-22- 3, or 0.8. According to the Foundation report, all of this gain can be accounted for by new property added to the tax rolls and by increases in existing valuations. Actually, the average Re-electi- tax rate in Utah declined from 82.04 mills in 1972 to 79.48 mills in 1973, a reduction of 2.56 mills. The 1973 average statewide rate for Utah is the lowest since 1964. sarily guarantee corresponding reductions in total property taxes paid by individuals and business concerns. In some instances, the reductions in tax rates are more than offset by increases in assessed valuations. This is especially true in those counties which have been revalued under the five-yereappraisal program. Most of the property tax revenue in Utah is used for the support of the public schools. The Foundation report shows that school property taxes amounted to $103,154,448, or 60.4 of all property taxes imposed last year. In addition to the property tax, public schools receive all of the state individual and corporate income tax revenue along with a sizeable portion of state general sales tax revenue (through transfers from the general fund to the uniform school fund.) Although the public schools receive the bulk of the property tax receipts, levies by special improvement districts and by counties have been rising more rapidly than those imposed for other purposes during recent years. Between 1968 and 1973, for example, property taxes increased 72 for special improvement districts and 39 for county obThe Foundation purposes. serves that this rapid growth probably is a reflection of the above-averapopulation exin the pansion unincorporated areas, especially along the Wasatch Front. School property taxes, on the other hand, have risen about 18 during this same five-yeperiod. The report points out, however, that the public schools have been receiving increasing amounts from nonproperty tax sources in recent years. Property taxes levied by municipalities (cities and towns) increased which is approxiabout same the increase recordmately ed for all property taxes in Utah 3 period. during the Harold T. Newman Representative Harold T. Newman this week announced plans to seek a third term of the Utah House of Representatives from District 29. Mr. Newman is calling for stronger criminal laws. Its getting so we protect the criminal more than we protect the people. Rep. Newman also advocated a return to capitol punishment and stiffer penalties for felons. Rep. Newman said his sponsorship of the bill to repeal the $5 county tax on automobiles is an important achievement during his Moss Comments On Shale Bid Utah Senator Frank E. Moss called the Phillips Petroleum and Sun Oil combined bid on Utah oil shale a realistic one. This is probably a more realistic figure than the earlier ones for prototype leases in Colorado. It does not appear that the ownership dispute between Utah and the Federal government had any appreciable effect on the bids and we should be happy about that. The need for new energy sources is too great for us to allow the legal struggle for ownership to interfere with research an development of oil shale. We need the oil. m tenure. at Kennecott Copper 38 years and is an for Corp. official in the local of the Steelworkers Union. We should give for support to education, especially for voDouglas A. Decker, who ancational education and special nounced his candidacy for the programs for the handicapped. Republican nomination to the Freedom Trains Due U.S. House of Representatives from the Second Congressional In Salt Lake Oct. 1 1 District Saturday, March 16, is Utah Senator Frank E. Moss of a small and a has announced his support for member of the Utah plane AssoPilots the American Freedom Train, ciation. which is a privately financed According to Decker, the abilplan for celebration of the 20(hh ity to cover quickly and efficianniversary of the United States. ently the entire state will allow This is one of the best plans him to spend much needed time for the Bicentennial that I have in discussing the problems and seen. said Moss. of the citizens within his needs The train is a product of the Decker proposes to American Freedom Train Foun- constituency. to every community within dation. Moss is one of the found- fly over the coming district the ers. It will be a steam powered weeks. Time has Decker, Says 20 car display rolling across the one of our most precious become United States during 1975 and commodities. If a representative 1976. It is scheduled to stop in is going to be a true spokesman Salt Lake City October for the people, it is imperative 1975. Moss was briefed recently by that he have the time to spend Flying is one of the American Freedom Train Foun- with them. of our tools technical society dation President Ross E. Rowused and, properly, can help us land. a do better job. Mr. Rowland is the man who 3 5 year-old The Salt Laker is organized the engine trip from intermountain of the manager the east coast to Promontory, world-wid- e Johnson Service Utah, for celebration of the 100 of the Company, a leader in the field of birthday anniversary driving of the Golden Spike. The same steam engine will be one of the three used to power the Freedom Train, he said. The red, white and blue train vill contain special exhibit cars in tracing Americas 200 year his(Continued from page 1) tory. The sponsors hope to have the dustry at the present time. children contribute pennies for Rep. Nielson also went on to a replica of the Liberty Bell. say, The major cause of inflaThey are seeking government tion is the excess of spending permission to have the pennies over revenues. The various price melted down and cast into a bell control measures treat only the twice the size of the original. symptoms of inflation and not The replica would be placed the cause, and in many instances ina special olexiglas car of the they are counter productive. In American Freedom Train. The Utah, the Republican legislative car would also carry a compu- leaders have adopted conservaterized list of the names of all tive estimates of revenue and the contributors. At each stop have not been afraid to reduce along the way children who con- budget requests to these levels, tributed could find their, names and this should also be done at included among the donors. the national level. Congressmen After the train completes its should not spend above availcrosscountry journey in 1976 the able revenues. They should rebell will be housed in the na- sist all increases above the budtions capitol. get and if the budget is too higl worker i This legislation would establish for the first time the natiohal policies and guidelines governing the use and management of 450 million acres of national resource lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, Owens explained. This Organic Act would produce a complete overhaul of the BLM public land laws, said Owens. It would repeal virtually all public land law statutes which are outmoded and replace them with comprehensive standards governing the management and sale of the public lands. The Committee has received a good cross section of testimony from people in the West on this legislation, Owens said. The Subcommittee plans to begin the complex job of drafting a bill after we complete the Washington segment of the public hearings. Persons wishing to testify at hearings should contact the Public Lands Subcommittee in Wash1 ington, area code 202, before noon. Eastern Time, on Tuesday, March 26. A minimum of 30 copies of the written statement should be brought to the hearings. All witnesses should be prepared to orally summarize the prepared testimony. 225-368- Congressional Hopeful Sees Flying as Way to Cover State co-own- ar for textbooks and supplies a Statewide requirement in Utah. It was further resolved that the State Superintendent of Public Instruction along with the State education staff and Utah education and parent organizations begin now to lay the groundwork to accomplish the goal of free education in Utahs public schools. two-ter- Mr. Newman is an active Democrat since 1951. He is chairman of his voting district. He is employed as a sheet metal ge 1968-197- The House Public Lands Subcommittee will hold public hearing in Utah late this month on a proposed charter for public lands, Rep. Wayne Owens announced. Owens said the sessions are scheduled as follows: Salt Lake City, Utah, on Saturday, March 30, from 10:30 a.m. "ntil 1:00 p.m. in the Northwest Multi-PurpoCenter, 1300 West 300 North. Richfield, Utah, on Saturday, March 30, beginning at 2:30 p.m. in the Little Theater of the Richfield Senior High School, 510 West First South. The hearings on H.R. 5441 represent a continuation of sessions already held by the Subcommittee in Montana, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and California. Owens, in announcing the plans, said this will be the last set of field hearings on the proposed legislation, which sometimes is referred to as the Bureau of Land Management Organic Act. Owens said additional public hearings will be held in Washington, D.C., with the first such session scheduled for April 5. The Subcommittee has the responsibility for legislation affecting public lands. se ar 25, 'Organic Act7 Field Hearings Announced by Rep. Owens (D-Uta- h) Foundation analysts point out that the recent reductions in overall mill rates do not neces- State Board of Education Calls For Free Textbooks and Supplies The Utah State Board of Education in their monthly meeting held in Salt Lake City resolved to make free public education a reality for all of Utahs secondary students. At present, free textbooks and supplies are only available to Utah students through the eighth grade. The resolution calls for free textbooks and supplies for public school students from ninth through twelfth grades. According to W. Robert Wright, Chairman of the Utah State Board of Education, many ninth to twelfth grade students are now required ot either buy or rent school books and some supplies. The resolution passed today first recommends to the legislature that adequate State funds be appropriated and made available annually to all of Utah's school districts to make free public education a reality for students from ninth through twelfth grades. Also included in tlx resolution is a provision which will make the use of the appropriated funds on THE SALT LAKE TIMES 11-1- er 3, -- automation controls, and bases his candidacy, in part, on the need for scientifically and technically trained people in the Congress. Pointing to the extremely complex technical nature of society and to the fact that there are currently only six members of the nations Congress with scientific-technicbackgrounds similar to his own. Decker feels that a freshman with special Representative, areas of competence and knowledge, might enjoy exceptional influence. In announcing his candidacy. Decker pointed to the congressional practice of calling for technical consultants frequently from the very industries affected by the legislators decisions. Said As a consequence, Decker, is constant concern over there the objectivity of the consultants. Decker has been a technical consultant for both state and national legislators. In addition to his affiliation with technical and aviation groups, Decker is National Vice President of the Instrument Society of America. al Speaker of Utah House Nielson Seeking Seat in U.S. Senate for the available revenue, should also be willing to cutthey the budget itself. All new proposal should meet the strict test of need, not desirability, and must either carry their they own source of funding or must replace other programs so that we either obtain the same services for less money or more services for the same money. Even if these conditions are met, the proposed legislation should not usurp the states responsibilities such as has happened all too often in the past. Rep. Nielson promises a hardhitting campaign on the issues, and he plans to personally visit over 50,000 homes in his quest of the Senate. |