Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-03-24
A FuEAL EFFORT TO SOLVE TEE DE-
BRIS PROBLEM

upon this important subject. 1t has been
drawn in the hope OF so distributing the
burden Of taxation as to secure as nearly
as possible such an arrangement as win
meet the views of all interested, and at
the same time do injustice to none. It
combines the principles OF State and dis
trict taxation with special assessments
upon the miners and the swamp land
owners. It provides for four distinct
modes and varieties Of taxation, namely;
general tax of one. twentieth Of one per
cent; district tax of one-fourth of one
per cent; miners tax of one-third of
one per cent. for every miners inch Of
water used in twenty-four hours; and
swamp land owners tax not to exceed
three dollars per acre, to be assessed ac-
cording to benefits received, and to be
divided into six annual payments.
By this arrangement it IS sought to dis
tribute taxation 60 that those who are re-
sponsible for the flow of debris, and those
who are to receive the greatest benefits
from relief and reclamation, shall con-
tribute the largest share OF the construc-
ton fund, while the general interest in the
prosecution Of the work iustiies the very
light State tax which is imposed. To fore
stall the possible reckless assertions Of some
members who have heretofore used figures
with culpable looseness in this connection,
it is as well to state that the proposed State
tax Of one-twentieth of one per cent. is
expected to bring in about $3.50, 900. As
it amounts to no more than five cents
on the hundred dollars, it IS per-
fectly clear that it cannot "hankrupt"
anybody, but that its addition to the
tax roll will in fact produce no
appreciate increase of the responsibilities
of the community. The remainder of the
fund is to be contributed by the
drainage districts, the miners, and the
swamp land owners, and the arrangement
proposed makes the two latter classes bear
their full share of the outlay. 1t is not
claimed that this plan is perfect. 1t would
evidently be quite impossible to devise any
plan which would not be regarded as un-
satisfactory by some class or individual.
But it must be borne in mind that the
proposition to do the entire work by State
taxation has been negatived; that the
proposition TO do the entire work by dis
trict taxation has been negatived that the
proposition to make the miners pay for the
entire work is impracticable; and that
therefore, unless all attempts to effect any
thing are to be abandoned as hopeless, some
such compromise as the new Young amend
ment offers will have to be adopted
The matter has reached a crisis at which
it is clearly no longer possible to insist on
having the very best measure conceivable.
We must now evidently accept the best
measure which the contending interests
and views admit of, or we must let the
whole case go by the board. The questions
for farmers and miners and swamp land
owners and the public generally to consider
are Can you get any better legislation
than this, as the case stands and is not
this very great deal better than no leGis-
lation a strong opinion has been devsl-
oped during the debates on the subject, to
the effect that taxation should be proper
Tomato to the benefits and responsibilities.
This sentiment caused The rejection of the
State taxation plan 1t throws the ques-
ton back into an impracticable shape,
however, for it is incoatestable that the
miners and the farmers alone are not able
to accomplish the work, and that if it was
forced entirely upon them nothing would
be done Under the new scheme this OBJ
lection and chat Of the opponents to State
taxation are both partially met They
could not be more than partially met, save
at the sacrifice of the whole project. phe
State is to pay certain proportion of the
tax, but very moderate and light proper
ton comparatively. The miners and the
swamp land owners and the property
owners in the drainage districts are to pay
more, but through the distribution Of the
tax over 50 large an area it is impossible
That II can press with undue weight any
where. As the work progresses the recla-
nation of swamp lands viii necessarily add
more and more to the taxable area, and inso
doing diminish the tax rate upon the State
generally, and undoubtedly in the end
more than compensate for the temporary
increase of that rate. We are convinced
that the method of general taxation would
be more enlightened and equitable one
than this, but it is evident that the present
Legislature cannot be got to see the ques-
ton in that light, and the efforts Of prac-
teal men must therefore be directed to
putting it in such shape as to secure the
support necessary for the enactment OF a
working law of some kind. This the
compromise promises to do, and therefore we
shall support it as apparently the only
alternative with inaction.
And we think we have right here and
now to call upon all who honestly and sin
cerely desire the application of practical
remedies, to accept the new proposition.