Show II r slug ISid I IT NOT r OT KILL i AMENDMENT 5 Amendment No 5 creates a an an n State Tax Commission j of four members not more I to the 0 of whom shall belong I 1 party Who will be benej bene- bene j making it a partisan body y not the taxpayer directly confers conters up- up Commission authority to do doand doand doj j and these four things are performed by the present 1 of Equalization which the then n Is Intended to supercede r powers are 1st To super- super 1 administer the tax laws of 2nd 2nd Assess mines 3rd Asi Aslie As- As lie i utilities and Adjust the valuation and assess- assess property among the several And remember these four I are the only powers directly d I upon the Commission by nt No 5 But It does doese e the Legislature to permit the theon on i to do certain other things e Interpretation of this part is ise e of contention da Is lIS Under such regulations inand in ini Inand i and within such limitations Legislature may prescribe it 1 the Commission shall ms ma of public accounting re- re bond Issues revise the theand i and lad budgets of local govern govern- vern- vern units and equalize the assess assess' I valuation of pro property with with- counties opponents of this amendment the Commission will do alls all s without check or hind hind- f this Amendment Is adopted If 1 tell ten us what they know to toy tor y 1 r would tell us the Commis- Commis i do these things only when the theore ore ure has said the word and not and nd then under such conditions slims Mions as the Legislature shall the talk we hear occasionally ht t suppose that everyone Is With the present tax situation contrary most everyone is dis- dis With taxes In Cedar City I cent ant and Parowan 54 per cent 1 half halt of the income of our peo- peo c consumed in taxes I refer to tome tome me from tangible property or school improve- improve ans a few more mills of tax en erty 7 Property is rapidly bea be- be a burden rather than a sup sup- this the result of leaving local sup sup-I and d councils unprotected from ry 7 hungry groups who want g 5 that can be had by levying mills of tax on prop- prop I It seems so rendition Condition is not peculiar to one Every state has it andye and nd v ye ve experimented with plans of Does not prudence suggest make ke use of the experience of fates This Ill I'll 1 c IAni t ft 1 1 en UI plan Ulof ui Ul of OX of local levies and bond issues as the Indiana plan and seeni to be meeting with adder the system The I or of l Indiana unlike Utah's con- con is In limitations 1891 Ons on n the Legislature V enacted a law central- central h nty over o local expenditures the state Tax Commission the resPOnsibility to pass on levies vies and local bond issues w Vi Was vas M unpopular because it was red an Interference with of oil the local government self and was Pealed aled During the u year jear ear fol follow follow- r- r on n Page Eight I WOODBURY SAYS DONT DON'T KILL lULL AMENDMENT Al 5 S Continued r from Page One I Ing the repeal of this law the cost of I local government I quote from a by Lester of Indiana In Increased Increased increased In- In creased per cent or approximately This Increase was so 80 startling that It was recognized that some relief must be afforded the taxpaying taxpaying taxpaying tax- tax paying public A statute was then de devised devised de- de which affords this protection and andis is ls criticised only by the politician who still sun believes that to the Victor be belongs belongs be- be longs the spoils In Indiana their Legislature responded respond respond- ed cd to the popular demand for repeal but reenacted when the public attitude called for it thus demonstrating once again that the Legislature represents and Is responsive to the public will In reality do we desire to check unnecessary unnecessary unnecessary un un- necessary expenditures and high taxes at the risk of offending some local of officials of- of who are over sensitive about their prerogatives or must wo go on forever owning property that a multitude multitude multi multi- tude of boards commissions a and d councils councils councils coun coun- in tax-levy tax competition can consume consume consume con con- sume the Income I say in tax Lax levy competition advisedly Each board thinks another mill or so will not hurt the property owner and they can use the taxes to such good pur pur- pose They mean well but the cumulative cumulative aUve result of several boosted levies means confiscation Let us get some degree of centralized control over these tax levying groups Again let us remember that Amendment Amendment Amendment Amend Amend- ment No 5 does docs nothing more than untie the hands of the Legislature and thus give it an opportunity to enact measures placing some restraint on unnecessary un un- necessary Increases in taxation No commission will ever be given authorIty author- author 1 it Ity to order a tax levy or a bond issue But on the contrary the thought of th tho Revision Commission the Governor and Legislature had been to curb unnecessary ry taxes and thereby protect property from tion Some 40 states now have some de degree decree degree de- de gree cree of centralized control over local taxation JOHN JOHN S. S WOODBURY |