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Show County Commissioner Supports Federal Land Payment Drive Jess Guymon, Iron County Commissioner, Com-missioner, pledged full support in New York last week for the drive launched by the National Association Asso-ciation of County Officials to obtain ob-tain payments in lieu of taxes on federally-owned, tax-exempt property. Mr. Guymon had Just completed participation in a two-day two-day business meeting in New York of the officers and commltt-tee commltt-tee members of the Association. He is a member of the Welfare Committee of this organization. Sessions during the two-day conference had considered a number of problems of importance import-ance to counties including proposals pro-posals for an expanded highway program, but payments in lieu of taxes on federal y-owned property proper-ty had top spot throughout all the deliberations. Statistics had been presented showing that the Federal Government owns approximately ap-proximately one-fourth of the surface of the continental United States, having an estimated value val-ue of $30.2 biUlon. Almost all of this was said to be tax exempt despite the fact that local governments gov-ernments provide local services to the property and the person working or living on this property. proper-ty. Estimates presented at the meeting Indicated that federally, owned property In the State of Utah has a value of $311,540,000. The county officials association will seek action by Congress next year to provide payments by the Federal government in amounts approximating the 'revenue that would be derived by local governments gov-ernments If this federally-owned land were privately owned and subject to taxation. Mr. Guymon pointed out that In his own state the greatest need is to make senators and congressmen congress-men and the public generally aware of this situation, and in leaving the conference, he stated his intention to rally public support sup-port in his own state. He also undertook un-dertook to provide facts and figures fig-ures from his locality for use by the association in presenting the matter to Congress next year. |