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Show Gov. Dern Gives Views on The Amendments Dispelling nil doubt r.s U hi:; ,U-iiude ,U-iiude on tax revision, Governor iieorge H. Dern has taken a posi-;on posi-;on strongly advocating the pss-jj.c pss-jj.c of the proposed casiu.uujn.r. unenciments by the people ilv.;. fall- His position was outlined in an iddress delivered Monday, September Septem-ber 8. before the state federation if labor at its annual convention j Salt Lake. I am heartily in favor of that nfi-am because I believe it js to :(f 311 improvement upon -jtahs .sesent inequitable tax system," he aid, "I am in favor of it because ; think it will make possible a urer distribution of the tax bur-;;d bur-;;d than we have today." Governor Dern pointed out many as in the present constitution, it etlect of which is to gran-, ex-aptions ex-aptions to the great mass of in-agibie in-agibie property and render it jupossible to either tax the pro-trty pro-trty itself, or tax the income rie--ved therefrom. Experience, he iid, has shown it to be faulty to js a few classes of intangibles not :iempted by the constitution, at the jne rates as are applied against sngible property. This, he declar-ji, declar-ji, is required under the prevailing uniform rule" in the constitution. The cnarge that intangible prosit pro-sit is being favored by laxity on ie part of tax officials was refuted refut-ed by the Governor. He said the nnciple of taxation of intangibles it the same rates as tangible ts wrong and it can't be done." In some states there is nearly as auch in intangible as there is in jEjible property. If the same ra-a ra-a holds time in Utah, it means jut one half the wealth in trie ate is escaping taxation, Governor Gover-nor Dern asserts. For twenty-five years past trie people have been agitated by this .ondition. Home owners and farm-:rs farm-:rs have bitterly complained that jey were carrying the burden ot eminent, while others, more jie to pay than they', were escaping jeir just share of the lead, he iid. Eearly in his administra-.on, administra-.on, Governor Dern announced he id told the state Board of Equal-jtion Equal-jtion to work out a more fair sys-ii sys-ii ol taxation. Their report he .acted was "We can't make a start Jul we amend the constitution. hands of the legislature are tied by constitutional restric-.011s restric-.011s that it could not give the .ople relief, no matter how will-: will-: it might be to do so." Governor Dern took the position jat the constitutional exemption I certain intangibles and the re-.sirements re-.sirements that the remainder be attd at general property rates had limost eliminated intangibles from is tax rolls If the proposed amendments are mei lie contended, the state iould be benefited through collec-.on collec-.on of a fair tax on the intangibles hieh would not be a heavy burden m that property but which would 'ill yield sufficient revenue to re-iuce re-iuce the tax on intangible property ihich Is now carrying the heavy :d. His position on the amendment i creating a tax commission was dually strong in recommending its pproval by the people He ar-sed ar-sed that more than thirty states w have a sucessful central administration; ad-ministration; that the amendment -sly authorizes the legislature to ire additional authority to the a commission; the legislature Just be trusted not to abuse this ,wer. Governor Dern also contended jt the legislature had not abus- its power in taxation of mines the past and should be trusted ' work out a better system o- taxation in case a better Jfthod could be found. This, he was proposed after January 1, 25 after the amendment relating s mine taxation. The governor made it clear that u proposed amendments would ly untie the hands of the legis-ire legis-ire t0 deal the subject. detail of the plan was left to legislature to decide. Jn conclusion he urged that the Stem of taxation proposed in jtah was not an experiment. Ev-0' Ev-0' feature of the plan is in suc-jsfal suc-jsfal operation in one or more a'es today. Trie system is not cal nor revolutionary, in any sPect, but merely proposes to a" a part of the tax load from wperty to intangibles and income. S a cry Ior iustice and ne the people of the state to "J la the cry and keep it up until ""ce was done. |