The silver star., 1900-08-24
REVENUE LAWS
TO BE REVISED


prominent citizens appointed some time
ago by Governor Thomas TO consider
the revenue Laws OF the safe have be-
gun TO discuss the subject Some rad
ical changes in the existing laws are
being considered
The mere skeleton may perhaps be re-
tanned but a radically different super
structure VIII ie errcied upon IL Al
though the commission took very little
radical action the trend Of the discus
sion showed that the members intend
to draw up q iaw which viii still keep
Colorado within her revenues and keep
her from i-=ins spendthrift debtor
state. whatever changes in her laws
may be involved
The discussion did not hinge always
on how 10 get more revenue. but fire.
quenriy upon how 10 make the reye-
nue. al hand 20 farther Retrenchinent
was the hobby Of several Of the mem
b1rs- and they succeeded In Ifupressing
the others with the necessity Of rlac-
Ing In the new revenue laws sufficient
restrictions upon the stale officials to
make them keep within their appro-
pria1iOn-- The matter Of state insti-
tutions and their management when
discussed showed that a consolidation
OF the penal and charitable Institutions
under one set Of officers, and a consoli
dafiOn Of the state educational institu-
tons in the same way TO he feasible
and probably advisable.
The main question In regard 10 state
revenue rose over proposition 10 in
troduce in the new laws clause CIV
ing the State Board of Equalization
power 70 limit the state leyles. This
brought up the old fight Of the county
against the state. The state considers
that IL Il robbed by the present pro-
cedure OF county assessors. In order
20 make the taxation for the state as
light as possible the assessors make
low assessments. When II comes to
raising revenue for the county the as
SCISSORS make a large levy. probably
three times as great as the state levy.
The suggested Limitation Of the state
levy viii make 1t impossible for coun-
y assessors to make such low assess
ments and then make up county ex-
penses by high leyles.
On this matter there was difference
Of opinion and Judge T.. r. Wells was
appointed to look Into the constitution
ality Of the power which ii IL proposed
to put into the hands OF the State
Board OF Equalization.
Joseph A. Israel was the chief cham
pion Of reirencbment. In the Legisla-
tnre Of 1881 Mr. Israel Introduced bill
providing for consolidation of ah-the
penal and charitable Institutions in the
state He presented practically the
same proposition yesterday and under
took 10 show by argument the feasibii-
ity Of bis scheme and the benefits that
would result from IT, One manage
ment. he said. could easily run all the
institutions, MS the business to he done
for each was about the same A great
er publicity could be given accounts
which are now practically kept secret.
BY this consolidation he thought near
ly 100000 could De saved 10 the state
In the same line Senator Buckley
suggested the consolidation OF all the
education institutions. provided the
constitution would permit. Should
this plan prove constitutional, boards
OF control could be abolished and one
board be appointed for the educational
Institutions, TO have rooms In the capi-
tol building, aud to transact all busl-
ness there. The necessity OF having the
men on tllis board rs far removed from
politics as possible was strongly nd
vised, and he advised also that those
serving on the board should he Obliged
to give their whole attention 10 the
work. and should be rcmunernted nc.
cordlngly.
The taxation Of litigants was another
subject taken mp. 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 n tax upon
hll legal Instruments. would he advis-
able. A levy Of ~ cents for all Instr,I.
menfs filed In District Courts wns sug.
gested. md 30 cents charge for all In
| functions nnd mnndamiises. This, II
was calculated, would bring In n reve-
nue. OF $4,000.
The following other suggestions were
discussed:
To pny the assessors u commission
instead Of salary and thus make
them more likely TO nakc high ASSESS.
incnts on behalf OF the state.
To turn nll rnilrond taxes into the
state TREASURY. Instead Of into the
counties.
To make lessccs Of state lind pny nm
annual tnx on II.
To lessen the number Of district
| Judges
TO save the amount usually nppro-
printed for internal Improvement by
turning II over TO the capltol fund.
The b0nrd Will meet this morning nj
10 o'clock md viii continue its sessions
until some sort Of revenue laws are
framed.