La Junta tribune., 1898-11-23
COLORADO. .rArs ,,sAsess.

the state OF Colorado becoming
seriously embarrassed unless some
radical. changes are made in the
revenue laws. Debts are piling up
without any provision being made
for their liquidation, and the state
is threatened with bankruptcy un-
less some immediate remedy is
provided. During the past two
years the expenditures have ex-
ceeded the revenues over 500, 900.
All OF the state institutions are
seriously embarrassed and some oil
them are being conducted entirely
on credit at the present time.
The entire fault lies in the fact
that county assessors refuse TO per-
form their plain duty OF assessing
property at its full cash valur.
They pay no attention to the law,
but are governed solely by pre-
c.-dent and custom. The constitu-
ton limits the tax levy ior state
purposes to four mills. The county
levi,s are not limited. II all
property was assessed according
TO law the four mill levy would
provide more revenue than the
state could use. BY their direct
violation OF the law, however, the
county assessors can make their
property valuation as low as they
see tit, and bv increasing The county
levy derive sufficient revenue for
county purposes while the State
gets little or nothing.
Every county in the state is
STRIVING to its utmost by making
low valuations to escape paying
state taxes. Colorado's property
valuation IN iS92 exce.d ded that ot
1898 by $50, 600, 900. On the face
OF 1t this would show that Colora-
dos property valuation has de-
ereas q $50, 900, 900 in SIX years.
which on the face OF it is an
absurdity. s.s4,,e:
The question OF taxation is very
simple proposition, or at least 1t
ought to be. Ii Seems to be the
busisess oil our law makers, how
ever, TO make II as complex and
diihcult OF comprehension as pos
sibie 10 suit their own purposes
aud the interests OF large corpora
tious whose slightest wish COM
mands them. There should be no
Limitation to either thef state or
county levy. There IS very little
danger OF extravaganza while the
pubic funds are saieguard.d as
they are in Colorado. No money
can he spent in state departments
unless II is first appropriated by
the legislature, and the county
funds are under the direct control
OF the county commissioners.
There would thus he no danger of
extrasagance even il the hmitanons
were removed.
The great political economist,
Adam Smith, gives the germ OF
just and equal taxation in. The .foI-
lowing words: 1.-The subjects OF
evefy state otfght to scomril,ute.
towards the support OF its govern:
ment as nearly as possible in pro-
portion 10 their respective asiiiti-<.
that is, in proportion to the fievenae
which they respectively enjoy
under thepro,eytionof'the ssate;y
"a good system 81 taxation ought
TO provide for self-acting increase
in tire revenusjn propor,iqn pAthS
population and the consed duehf de-
elands for governmental expendi-
Hreq.dfese.y.F Ft'srTId no. OBJ
Gin where there Is q 1,inlt to either
(hc state or county levy.
Assess property at its full cash
value as the law demands. Assess
individual. apd corporations alike,
Es,ims,e die probable expend:tIres
Of the state and county and fix the
esx lssy IT q rate sufficient to
srnliyS the smounl of..revcnue re.
e ~ srsi4bf p .ARse,
fnr The avesage law maker. however.
. these uould be no loop hole for