Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-05-01
AGAINST EXCESSIVE TAXATION.

AGAINST EXCESSIVE TAXATION.
Tho general sentiment oi the people
Of halt Lake will be that the CITY
Council did a very proper thing At iis
last session 10 repeating the ordinance
requiring a special tax for lighting the
streets. 10 shows an inclination 90
avoid unnecessary disputes and trouble
which would have the eject Of array.
ing tho taxpayers against the city
administration and would prevent
harmonious working In other mattcts.
The action Of the Council Il Ia the In.
torcst Of municipal harmony, and ~
such IL 10 DO commended, albeit tho
c5uncilmen were somewhat slow Ia
recognizing public feeling on this mat
ter. AZ TO the question Of the validity
Of the ordinance, there IL the expires
sion that II Ia still believed iui
many people, however, will be
now confirmed In tho opposite view.
But outside Oi the discussion o.
to validity, this whole business Of pro-
cuodlng In the line Of special asscls'
menls In such matters ia dangerous
and should be- given the summary
check which II now seems TO have re-
ceived Ia the Councils action. The
taxpayers have declared In nu.
merous ways, anu ~ cmphalically
III they could, that II h dislaslciul TO
them. IL IL time for officials In every
department OF local government 10
recognize tho fact aud conform 10 the
general desire.
In Ia recommendation for n repeal,
tho committee states Il has dis.
covered "lhat this special assessment
seems TO be very unpopular and very
unsatisfactory 10 the citizens At large,
whose servants the members OF the
City Council are" that "the views OF
the people, coming up on every sid
against this special taxation, cannot be
Ignored by the City Counoil;" and that
tho city Council has "no right 10
hy In tue face OF the views Of the pee
pie, or act contrary to the wishes Of n
great majority ~ plainly expressed"
As the majority OF the Council also
took the view that they are the
servants Of the people In an official
capacity, the repeal was effected.
Here n Just where the matter should
stand. Officers are elected to represent
tho people, In doing their will within
the legally prescribed limits, They
have not thu right TO arr0gale TO them
selves the power Of masters and over.
ride tho people, aa mas beon done IN
several instances here and owhere.
llll the public has been compelled 10
administer a stinging Tebuke. II may
DO unfortunate that the Council went
10 the expense incurred In this special
tax business, and failed % regard the
wishes Of the majority Of the people
until that majority became 10 great"
~ 10 amount 10 popular uprising. Hut
n the lesson IL learned Tor the future
there will DO some Tecomponsp.
The fact Is that tho taxpayers
are becoming incensed at excessive
taxation, and want the rXtTRvagaut
policy Of non.taNpayers with taxpayer
money abandoned, nj least till these
who have TO meet the bill aTc relieved
VI the Durdensomu load attending the
financial depression, Not only afu the
people ayoIse to special taxation at
present, but also TO au Increase OF
taxes, preierring to fetrench In public
affairs, As they have % 40 In private
expenditures. The City Council has
done good thing la abandoning %
policy that the committee says was
avery unpopular ana very uusatlt-
factory to the citizens nc lHfgt,n and
will receive public approval therefor
Al the same slime q will be- we'll Tor
officials, outside Of the municipality
as well uB within 70, 90 govern
their action in future by tho suggestion
that they have "n0 right Co lly in the
face Of the views OF the people" Then
We will have greater harmony auI Igs.
dssatl''actiou than the part low year.
have given. Let tEe wlsn.- OF the
people be- respected without forcing
De-.