Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-09-02
THE ABSORBING QUESTION.

THERE Is no local topic Of general
interest which causes so much agi-
tauon rs the tax question. The
county assessment raised a rumpus
as the valuations were almost uni
versally considered excessive and
the amount Of revenue to be raised
thereby largely above the needs Of
the county.
The assessment list for the city
was purposely delayed until after
the August election, and the Lib
eral'' stump speakers, with their
organ, commented upon the high
valuations made by the county as
SCISSOR, using them as argument
against the Peoples Party and init
mating that the ''Liberal'' assess
ment Of city taxes would be very diff
fereRt.
When the city list was filed and
the tax notices were served, il was
found that the county assessor had
touched the people with feather
in comparison with the grievous
burden prepared for their weary
shoulders by the "Liberal'' city
assessor, who seemed 10 have snelIed
in advance the certain termination
Of his official career at the close OF
his two years, and determined to I
feather his nest as thicIlly as he 4
could while opportunity lasted.
The protests against the valua-
tions placed upon realty by the
city assessor represent the great
bulk Of the property. They have
come from all classes and parties.
They show that very little system
las entered into the methods Of
assessment Some Of the figures are
ludicrOus in comparison with FORM
er valuations. They appear to have
been made more with 4 view to the
profit Of the assessor than fairness
10 the taxpayer or regard for the
law governing the revenues OF the
city.
In addition 20 hundreds Of obiec-
tons TO these excessive assessments
with requests for a reduction, the
City Council has been petitioned to
lower the rate determined upon by
that body. \ question has been
raised as 10 whether the Council las
power to comply with the request.
We have no doubt rs TO the author
ity Of the Council in the premises.
the only question, it appe9ns TO Us.
i rs % lis viii.
The powers of the City Council,
as a board OF equalization, 10
''change the valuation Of assess
ment Of any zeal or personal prop-
erty by increasing or diminishing
the assessed valuation thereof, as
shall be reasonable and JUST are
set forth in the Act OF the Legisla-
ture Of lSsS, amending the charters
Of incorporated cities, Sec. = Of arti- c
Gle y. Aui the Revised OrIin-
aaces OF SIIt Lake City, Sec. Il Of !
Chap. xiii, agree with the charter.
and say that the EoarI Of y
Equalization may change and .
correct any valuation, either 10y adj Z
ding thereto or deducting there [
from" G
A. to changing the rate Of taxa o.
zion after it has been fixed. the CITY a
Council has the same power As in u
regard To any other action It NAV Il
have takens whether 10y ordinance c
or resolution; that Is, the power Of u
amendment or Of repeal. II may
be said that there is a time set for c
the fixing Of the rate. 50 there i G
a time fixed for the completion Of 7
the assessment roll and it, return 10 l
TIE Council. But the Council ex- I
tended the tins, 10 accommodate q
the assessor and help the ''Liberal', "A
party, and has ample power to a
change the rate Of taxation to ac- Il
commDdate the taxpayers, relieve d
the public Of a needless burden and
prevent a surplus OF revenue.
The disposition Of the Council. Il
not its power, Is matter Of doubt 9
The will Of the people has been en- II
phatically expressed. The senti- ..
ment IN favor Of a reduction is gen. Il
eral. 1t is held by all classes and p
parties alike. viii the men elected
70 Office, and those who
are holding places to which they
know they We're not elected, act as p
the servants or As the masters Of the NJ
people: That is the problem which al
Will soon lee solved. NJ
- en- advocate Of the PeopIa,. III
Party, we might almost wish that AT
Inc Liberal City Council will Of
turn a deaf ear to the appeals Of the be
panlics reach out for large revenues. ~ ~
support the assessor in his flights nj n
arithmetic anu palpable game of an
graft. refuse to relieve the oppressed tel
-iNlayeis, and thoroughly ruin the ~ ~
larty that placed them in power. si0
but the public welfare is or should tn
'e above ali sectional interests and wi
.lFiy pToelivities, therefore. for the ~ IN
Dol u the city aud the interests Of or
s people, We hope the Council will TO
OH regulate the valuations and re-. the
aee the rate, and thus DO justice to f r.
u AM mliltain the reputation Of VIII
AT Like City for reasonable taxes
I'd conservative progress. for for