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Show .STANDARD'S TAX CAMPAIGN. The slate board of equalization has fixed the tax levy for the year at half a mill below that of 1911. With the total of taxable property climbing to the $200,000,000 point and heavy revenue pouring into the state treasury from the inheritance tax as applied to stock holdings in Union Pacific and other Ilarriman lines, there was but one thing to do. The taxpayers have been drained of their surplus funds and the state was forced to offer some relief, even though only half a mill. We know that the Standard editorial of three weeks ago on state taxation has been a factor in bringing about this change in policy, and this paper purposes to keep up the good work until taxation in Utah is something more than a base fraud on the small property holders. The Standard repeatedly has pointed out that the property of the people of Utah each year could not be increased in value for taxable tax-able purpose, while the old rate of taxation was maintained, without inflicting an injustice on the people. The Salt Lake Tribune, a Spry paper, commenting ov the state tax levy, says: "Wo noto a letter from Governor Spry in this connection, wnlch, In a general way. Is T.-ell meant; but vho main point of which Is misleading. Where Governor Spry talks about lessening the burdens of the taxpayers, he is liable to be misunderstood. As we have shown in the above examples, the increase In the assessed valuation keeps the revenue up fully as high as before, if not a little higher, evon with the small reduction In the rato of leT; so that the taxpayers arc not at all relieved, so far, in this reduction re-duction In the tax lavy, "But It will not be possible to make the taxpayers believe that their burdens have been in any way lessoned. They arc not Increased to the full extent that the officials could Increase them, and that is the utmost that can be said In speaking candidly of the matter." |
