Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-08-24
REVENUE LAWS
TO BE REVISED

prominent citizens appointed some time
ago by Governor Thomas To consider
the revenue laws OF the state have be-
gun to discuss the subject Some rad
icai changes In the existing laws are
being considered.
The mere skeleton may perhaps bc re-
taIne,i, but n radically different super.
structure VIII bc erected upon It. Al
though the commission took very ntfbr
radical action the trend ot the discus
sion showed that the members intend
to draw up law which will stiil keep
Colorado within her revenues ana Keep
her from being n spcndthrift debtor
state, whatever changes In her laws
may br Involved.
The discussion lid not hinge always
on how to get morc revenue. but IRE
qucntly upon how To uink. the rcvc.
hue NJ hand go farther. Rrtrcnchmcnt
was the hobby Of s-vcrnl of the mem,
bcFs. and they succeeded In imprcssin.
the others with the Necessity OF pinc-
Ing In the new revenue laws sufficient
restrictions upon the state officials to
make them keep within their nppro-
priations. The matter of state insti-
tuiicns and their management whcn
discussed showed that n consolidation
OF the penal and charitable institutions
under one set OF officers. AMI u consoli-
daiion OF the stat. educational institu-
lions In the same way To bc feasible
and probably advisable.
'.hc main question In regard to STATE
revenue rosc over proposition TO In.
trodue- In the new laws a clause Civ.
Ing the State Bonri Of Equalization
power to limit the state i-vic-. This
brought up the old iish, OF the county
against the stale. The state considers
that IL il robbed by the present pro-
cciur- OF county assessors. In order
to make the taxation for the stntc n
light as possible the assessors make
low assessments. When u comes To
raising revenue for the county the ns.
SCISSORS make lnr.c levy. probably
three times as great ns the state levy.
The suggested Limitation OF the state
levy will make II impossible for coun.
~ assessors to make such low asscss.
mcnts and then make up county cx-
pcnsc- by high icyics-
ON this matter there wns n diffcrcucc
OF opinion and Judge l.. r. Well. wa.
appointed to look into the constitution
aiity Of the power which II Is proposed
to put into III. hands OF the S,ntc
Board OF Equalization.
Joseph 4. Israel was the chief cham
pion OF rrttcnchmcnt. In the IccislH-
tIrc OF 1891 Mr.. Israel introduced bill
providing for n consolidation OF all the
penal and charitable Institutions In the
state. He presented practically the
sntnc proposition yesterday and under.
took To show by argument the fcasibil-
ity OF his scheme and the benefits that
would result from IL. one manage
mcpt. he said. could easily run all the
institutions. ns the business to bc done
for each was about the same. a great.
or publicity could h. given accounts.
which are now practically kept secret.
by this consolidation he thought near.
ly Siup.cpp could h. saved to the state.
In the same line Senator buckley
suggested tile consolidation of all the
education institutions. provided the
constitution would permit. Should
this plan prove constitutional. boards
OF control could h. abolished and one
board he appointed for the educational
Institutions. To have rooms in the capi.
tol building. and to transact all bust
ness there. The necessity OF having the
men on this boarl as far removed from
politics rs possible was strongly ad.
vised. and lie advised also that those
serving on the board should he obliged
to give their whole ATTENTION TO the
work. and should bc rcmuncratcd nc
cordingly.
The taxation OF litirants was another
subject taken up. The discussion was
along the line OF making courts self
supporting. Upon those persons using
the courts the sustaining of the courts
should fall. and therefore tax upon
all legal Instruments. would bc ndvis-
able. a levy Of - cents for all instru.
ments filed in District Courts was sug-
Testcd. and 30 cents charge for all in
functions and maniamuscs. This. II
was calculated. would bring In rcvc-
nue. OF $4,000.
The following other suggestions were
disCusscd:
To pny the assessors commission
instead OF salary and thus make
them more likely to make high nsscss-
mcnts ON behalf Of the state.
To turn all railroad taxes into the
state treasury. instead OF into the
counties.
To make lcssccs OF state land pay an
annual tax on 1t.
To lessen the number OF district
Judges.
To save the amount usually appro-
priated for internal Improvement by
turning 1t over to the capitol fund.
The board will meet this morning ut
10 O'Clock and will continue It's sessions
until some sort OF revenue laws are
framed.