Show TAX retrenchment I 1 editors note address by pres if P epperson at tho the semi saint annual of tho the utah state press clifield utah september 2 1322 1922 today in ili utah as in ili all Inter hiter moun ta tain in and coast states tho the greatest handicap to return of oc normal conditions ind and prosperity is excessive taxation this Is a condition recognized by till all out oui citizens tile state raim farm bureau bin can has taken up the matter mattei and it la is hoped will make some progress pio giess in its program for tax ro t Itic tion commissions are aie investigating tax conditions in fil all tile tho moun tain states and business organizations and commercial comme iclal clubs have taken up the matter mattei for investigation in ili duo due time theli commissions and committed committe oi will report but it Is safo safe to that beyond shifting the tax burden from one class ot of property to another nothing will be accomplished shifting Shit ting assessments front one form ot 0 property to another will not reduce taxes in tho the last analysis every man woman and child has to pay ills share shaie of taxation if on oil property t through tile the in creased prices of commodities caused by abnormal taxation recommendations of commissions mail avail but luttio as tho the chief end of all commission investigations and so called tak reform movements is to secure more moio funds from the tax payer pa or tile the state ot of utah Is biot especially in need of new form of taxation or other tax reform tile tho only remedy possible is to cut appropriations for general state purposes and state ili institutions and matte make it a penal offense for the state boards to authorize additional dit ional expenditures when legislations have been exhausted oh austed the partial or total abolition of sonic some of the state commissions and the tion of the number of members on oil the commissions would help make it possible toi for the legislature to make a tremendous tiemen dous cut in ili appropriations some of you ou perhaps most of you vou will ask where I 1 recommend commend le a cut in t tires the answer Is all along t 1 line in ovary state in biou bar none and I 1 would ft that cut no ie gsa ss than 25 per i I 1 hear you ask it if I 1 would cut r t schools 20 26 poi per cent the answer Is yes ea all tile tho schools where special subjects not flot essential to a rudimentary education are arc being taught but under no consideration would I 1 recommend cutting tho the salary balai of efficient teachers tea cheis in fact I 1 would be inclined to raise the salaries sal ailes of the best I 1 would cut out nonessential non essential subjects and pay more attention to rudimentary education thus preparing the pupil for a higher ton should lie he desire it but this is dipping into an argument I 1 desire to avoid the main propos proposal ill is a gross reduction of taxes and the only way to bring about a reduction Is to cut the public expenditures during recent years taxation has increased enormously figures taken tadeu from the united states census shows the total tax levied in utah in 1912 was and in ili 1921 it was the per capita tax in fit 1912 was waa 16 13 and in 1921 40 74 these figures are aie appalling when one takes into consideration that the total taxable valuation of tho the state Is less lebs than now 1 I want to say to you members of the utah state aroas association you through your newspapers are ais the only hope the people have it is within your power to put a stop to this excessive taxation by giving notice lotice that you will not support any ally candidate who ft ho will not pledge himself to vote for reductions of at least 25 per cent in legislative appropriations see to it that these pledges are made before nominations are made in conventions vent ions but above nil all bore it into your readers reader that only men mail who really leally favor such measures bo be nominated for senators or representatives it matters not whether nominees represent tho the church die the bar the farm bureau or big business it Is not recommendation for a 1 I candidate unless lie he is unqualifiedly in favor of at least a 25 per cent reduction in state appropriations this Is not a matter of politics tor for cju matter of fact neither party la id solely responsible for these conditions it Is truo true that the present ad has saved money in tho the conduct of the general affairs of tho the state but the same would bo be expect ol oj of any other administration now that war conditions are passing I 1 favor tile tho utah state press association joining with the farm bureau and the utah manufacturers asso elation I 1 a and other bodies for tax ro ai but before doing so it should oll 1 bo be clearly understood budoi stood that tax retrenchment means the collection of less taxes lacs through tho the lessening of legislative appropriations it boards of county city ind town boards of education were beio compelled under penalty to pub asli lists of oc expenditures and to aiom whom made anti and tor for what purpose in ili most instances A 1 I great saving would bo be made hundreds of thousands of dollars are aio annually expended expanded in utah which would bo be saved it tile tho names 0 of tile the recipients and the nature ot of the deals to which they are aie parties were niada public As it a matter of fact tile tho public has no idea for what purpose the tax ta money molloy is expended dod other than in a general way utah a essentially a farming and range lange state that Is to say most of her people live close to and till the soil all their property la is tangible and every acre acio of land Is assessed for while a vast amount of personal property loans montages mor salaries and baah escapes taxation altogether toge and always will no matter A vital hat plan of taxation la Is adopted year in ili and year out tile the farmei works louger hours and receives less for ills his efforts than any other class clasa af f our citizens and proportionately ie 10 pays more taxes whatever elso also flip barnier may bo be charged cli arged with he an ail never io ho classed a its a tax dodger loda roday tile the farmei has to cut ills his ox ex to provide for ills his tax money or lie ho will be a put out of housa and homo home this being truo true why should not the state institutions and be compelled to cut hall expenditures the manner of nan nand dring ting delan taxes in ili utah Is another factor n our excessive taxation under the law or 01 the ruling in ili vogue in III this ante the counties carry cairy the delin vent luent taxes in ili moat states property pr on oil which tile the ta tax has not been paid is sold for ho he delinquent ta tax on the day and late set get forth in ili the tax sale rate adver isemena in utah it is the rule not net 0 allow others than those interested in the property to pay the property ax as thornas time for or redemption as la ili alt all states but by the plan in orce 01 ce in most states the tax money is fully paid in ili cash and Is available lor for public purposes pin poses in utah tile the people carry the burden and are aie taxed ultimately an amount equal to the delinquent lin quent tax carried by the county for example if the county in which rich field is located is carrying 20 00 in ili delinquent taxes on its books it the time tile the tax levy Is made it will lie necessary tor for the county com niss loneia to levy a tax to cover that leflein le fleit As I 1 understand this tho the counties have to pay that art of the ta tax which goes to the tate in ili cash no matter how long it emmins unpaid to the county ac 01 ding to the books oatho of the state auditors office on oil august ot 21 the present year tile the amount of delan trient tax which the counties owed lie ho state was 1921 and it la is ro bablo that the total delinquent tax municipal county and school added to this amount would bring tile the otal to more moie than taxes ave already been lev d to cover his deficit in ili conclusion I 1 want to say that I 1 0 a not desire to inject politics into ills his question in ili the last analysis we aust admit that political parties and he people themselves aro are alone to lame toi for the conditions which con aront bont us its but there must be a halt he people must not be asked for more than they can pay with wheat at less than go 80 cents i bushel trushel and potatoes not worth digging and other farm products the in years our state ions our schools and our commas comal lons ions must i reduce educe expenses only in the matter of state roads hould wo we keep up our pace and that aly when we get 74 per cent of the ost from the federal government lut even this money should bo be ex ended with more economy than in tho the past and with more efficiency oth in administration of the corn com nis cission sion engineering expenses and in it should be seen to that our good oads are arc built better and of better especially where sand and ravel Is used where possible both and and gravel should bo be washed ind thoroughly cleaned before being incorporated in tile tho road load building material I 1 have hao avoided pointing out ic c expenditures and make no sped ic charges charge elther either poll political or per onal in presenting this s matter it s tile the condition which is conaro confronting n tin g lie ho people of this state in which we continued on page six TAX bmw gi ll 11 ENT continued from page one ire interested not what brought it about and the only 1 comeay is ia to lit appropriations and soo to it un lor tile tho peli alty of a felony that they tay lay cut now isow brethren brot liron of the press t Is out plain duty to join forces nith other bodies and inake a fight or tile tax tas ridden people of utah wo we havo tile undeveloped cs 04 0 4 to make mahe utah mall ono one of tho the groat great states in ill tile tho union who whon tills this 18 a developed and fashioned tu to lie ho uses of nian man utah has tho the wealth 11 iler her hills anil and volleys valleys to support ft a population of millions instead of rods of thousands and excess ve taxation la bi tile tho greatest handicap 0 tills development at tills this time lot is 13 holp help to lighten tills this load by insist ng on oil cutting public expenses as tile the have to cut their own and and prosperity rity will pov dily follow with a doubled population a and nd wealth the burden of tax stion will bo be lighton hf od and the sum otal for tho the support of tho the state nd lid state institutions vastly increase d then and not until then can vo v 0 spend with a lavish land hand |