The San Francisco call., 1897-08-01
MARicOPA'S TAX REFORM.
The Arizona County to Derive ITS
Revenue Solely From School
Land leases.

County is following closely after the
single-tax example set by the city o1
Prescott, in Yavapai County. In Pres
colt all vacant lots are to ue taxed event
ualIy TO their selling value, while Mari
copa County now proposes to eventually
raise her entire revenue from the leasing
of her public school lands.
To this end the Board of Supervisors oi
Maricopa County, is preparing to pro-
ceed under q law of the late Legislature
authorizing it to lease the school
lands. The passage of this law resulted
from the Congressional enactment, passed
a year ago last spring, providing fol-
the leasing of Territorial university
and school lands and authorizing the Ter
ritorial Legislature to prescribe the man
ner In which they should be leased.
The Congressional act was an incident
of fevered epoch in Arizona history.
Governor Hughes was the chief promoter
of the land-leas law and had made the
subject part Of his message to the
Eighteenth Territorial Legislature. He
was also instrum Ell tai in procuring the in
PRODUCTION in Congress of an &C: modelled
upon the Oklahoma law. While this was
pending protests against its passage were
sent in from various parts of the Terri
tory, but chiefly from the northern coun
ties, where the large grazing and lumber
areas lie. The act was nevertheless passed
by both houses of Congress, only to be
vetoed by President Cleveland. The
House then passed the bill over the Presi-
| dents veto by an overwhelming majority
| The Senate took no decided action, but
| the bill was withdrawn and modihed so
| that it finally became law without the
executive approval. It was on account oil
Governor Hughes advocacy OF the bill, i,
| is now declared, that Cleveland was in
| duced to remove Hughes.
| The act as passed constituted the Gov
ernor of the Territory, the Territorial Su'
| perintendenu OF Instruction and other Of
| hcials as a tempo ary commission for
leasing the school lands. this com mission
| TO mold until the Territorial Legislature
| had acted under the law. This commits
| sion declined to act in the matter and the
school lands remained in statu quo until
| the present time. Now the Supervisors oi
the legislative regulation, which consti-
| tutes Boards of Supervisors as the Com
mission on School Lands.
This will be the first movement under
either law, and in consequence a great
deal OF interest is felt in the proceedings,
WHICH Will De watched carefully on All
sides and several big lawsuits are expected
to result. According to the definition oi
the law upon which tGe Supervisors oil
Maricopa are proceeding all school and
university lands are brought under their
jurisdiction, excep. those lands upon
which settlement and Improvements were
made prior to a Government survey. Ii
is not certain that even such lands are not
subject to lease.
Leases will be executed for from one 10
five years to the highest bidders. In cases
OF improved lands, the present occupant:
will be given preference. Ii they decline
to lease, committee of appraisers will be
created to estimate the value of improve
| ments, and lease will be given to the
highest bidder who will pay for the i'm
provements. Printed forms of applica-
tons have been prepared for bidders, and
such questions as these must be answered (:
Nv nat do you want with the land ?"
"W ho, II any one, is living upon lt?"
what is the character of the improve
ments. If any p
The County Assessor is preparing list
OF school lands subject to lease, and as
soon as this is com pleted, which Will be
within week or two, the Supervisors will
give notice OF the time when bids will be
received. 1t Is roughly calculated that
one-thlrd of the entire revenues OF Mani
copa County will be raised from the leas-
ing OF her school lands during the first
year.