Amador ledger., 1908-09-11
THE NEW TAX SCHEME.

The most important measure in the shape of proposed
constitutional amendment be dupon the election in
November is constitutional amendment No provd
ing for the reform of taxation in California. The
to be submitted the decision of the ballot box the out
of years of careful investigation and thought bestowed
upon the subject by special commission appointed for that
purpose upon the recommendation of the then governor
George Pardee copy of this proposed amendment will
be forwarded every registered ample time to give
opportunity to thoroughly study its provisions Its
main feature the separation of state and local taxation
Public utility corporations, such railroads. light and power
companies telegraph and telephone lines steamboat and
stage lines insurance companies commercial and savings
banks companies etc. be assessed for state pu
poses only while all other forms of property left for the
support of the local government Every property holder
should be- deeply interested in this extremely radical de-
parture from existing methods of providing for the
maintenance of only and county but
municipalities we'll. likely that of the city
governments will be the affected by the proposed change
although this phase of the question has been given little
tention far In presence Of the tendency of such
mentous issue it surprising that citizens manifest such
apathy qualifying themselves by getting the
great register especially who neglect
enroll the voting list in time will be kicking themselves
few weeks hence when the import Of this drastic change
begins to dawn upon them
Elsewhere in this issue publish communication from
the board Of equazaon in which the writer contends
that the ratification of this proposed amendment will affect
material reduction Of the burden of taxation in Amador
county, and that for this the Ledger should urge upon
the people the advisaby of voting for it. We may
that the Ledger article which called forth this communication
from the secretary of the board wherein urged the
necessity of changes in the laws which would work reduc
ton of taxes for local purposes had reference this pro-
posed constitutional amendment. We referred certain
changes that might be made in laws specially affecting this
county, such revision the fee schedule of the superior
court and county officers the diversion of commissions the
sale of property under order of the from private poe
kets into the county treasury the wipng of all
compensation of county officers outside of their fixed salaries
the repeal of the salary law for township officers which has
proved effective only in png up burdens upon the taxpay
ers the reform of the road SYSTEM taking the management
of the roads of the hands of the supervisors By u
dicous changes in these respects and strict economy in
penses do not hesitate say that the for all
county purpose might be cut down to less than 81 the
$1oo the assessment roll stands whereas Auc
tuates slightly around the 81 50 mark
Nevertheless if the proposed constitutional amendment
holds relief in this direction, should be carefully
sdered In counties the is being strongly op
posed the ground that would increase rather than de-
the local In such counties the
roll presume is heavily charged with that class of cor
porate property that would be withdrawn from the ursdc
on of the local In Amador county inclined
think the claim that the effect of the plan
would prove beneficial is From examination of
the assessment roll find that in the neghborhood of
million dollars worth of property would be stricken from the
roll Add to this the loss of by the looping off
of all county licenses imposed upon these corporations
the loss would be equal the withdrawal of and half
millions from the taxable property At the $Ioo
this would 10000 per year that Amador property
J. 2I, Of