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Show "Utah Taxpayer" Discusses Utah's Debt Situation The December, 1941, January. February, 1942 Issue of the "Utah Taxpayer" Is Juit off the press. Hils publication Is devoted particularly particu-larly to the bond situation in Utah and Its taxing Jurisdictions. It will be valuable to officials, taxpayers, and citizens alike, for it Is the only place, such Information Is published. A perusual of the tables reveals that with regard to lndebetdness Utah occupies an enviable position compared with the country as a whole. It Is noted that tha per capita cap-ita debt of Utah Is less than half the average of the nation as a whole. A condition worthy of acclaim Is that public debt Is decreasing year by year. It Is shown that despite the large expenditures for public works during the past decade, our debt obligation has been reduced 17 per cent. It is also noted that during the J past 8 years Utah has decreased her per capita debt over 27 per ' cent, and Is now but 49 per cent of I ihe average for the country. Tills Is a wholesome condition and the taxpayers nd officials alike may well be praised for such achievements achieve-ments toward sound financing. The publication shows that during dur-ing the past ten years the Stat debt has been decreased 60 per cent, and now It Is but $2,105,000, It Is further Indicated that county bonds have been cut 78 per cent and that 11 of the 29 counties arf debt free. ' ' v The "Taxpayer" shows that wlty regard to schools the trend Is als! favorable. It Is indicated that dej spite expenditures of 13,500,00(1 during the past 10 years for capital cap-ital Improvements, the total debt has been reduced 23 per cent. ! According to the "Taxpayer'' municipalities alone have Increased their debts. This Increase is 25 pe? cent. But by way of explanation it Is noted that some 50 addlltonal communlles have been lncorporatt ed In that time In orde b obtain water systems. A communication sent taxing officials of-ficials calling attention to the Cost of Living trends and its bearing on increased spending Is Included. The table there shows that up to Sep- tember of this year such costs of living is still 14 per cent below the ' average of the 1920's. It Is advocated advo-cated that In view of the stupendous defense requirements, that extraordinary extra-ordinary care be exercised by all officials In formulating their budgets bud-gets in order that defense Is not handicapped and taxpayer survival Jeopardized. |