The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-12-11
REVISE TAX LAWS.
SAYS THE BOARD

ANHAAHHfA rom FnEe Wue-N
private mines not governed by corpora
lions. To this end the board recon-
mends the appointments OF a bullion
commissioner after the Nevada law.
Ab-urdity of Assessor Law.
But the crowning absurditv Of the
taxation laws. SAYS the report. is that
law governing the selection and du-
ties OF county assessors. These should
De appointed and not elected. The no.
sition should be entirely freed from
an political connections and the men
employed should be expert in estimat-
ing valua ton.
Their term or office should not ID
less than four years. as the present
term or TWO wears brings about a
cnanGe or assessors before the first can
even acquire an adequate knowledge 81
The work and duties Of the office. The
pay should he increased and the I'm
portance and significance Of the office
should be greatly enhanced
Taking up tax reform organizations
the report calls attention to the wide
Hpi eaQ agitation throughout America
anq me entire civilized world. to the
end that the old Inadequate taxation
systems be suDDiauted by systems II,
keeping with the rapid progress o.
comfnerce and evolution OF economic
avs 4nese organizations are spring
Ing I'D throughout the world and are
doing much to bring about the needed
reforms saws the board. and IN the
gears or progress are 10 bo kent
smoothly running. Utah must nuictiv
fan I'm line. NNois
At the two latest annual conferences
Il,.,. ne ~ 'eInational tax association the
D"ar9 or equalization was represented
ana las much 10 recommend therefrom.
IttIS,ks an appropriation OF $1,000 an
nruailH 20 meet the expense or sending
euLte uelegates from Utah to this con-
ference each year.
me purpose OF this association is to
htep IN touch with the most un-fo-datp
- ~. mo einent and 90 disseminate
pest thoughts and methods OF
keeping the taxation gvsfouos H. bor
"Y5ny VIII general conditions Of life
- "hciuolng It's criticism OF the pres-
tnt tax laws, the board saws that -,fch
legislation must he enacfcJ n, ,,.fiI
heep inc revenue laws subject to- nor-
e"ai clahge 70 work I'm harmony with
,-'. epic and ever-chlngirE dcvelop-
.teHt or the state. To accomnlfsb tlif,
tne restriction or the 1erfslatiIro,g 90,
ms powers should be entirely removed
~ we. recommend that amendments
20 tne state constitution TO fbfe o,,d ~,
submitted TO the people.
Recommendation Made
In accordance with those s,,,-.-.,.s,,.,-
,,,s,,, R,aTa makes the following recon-
J. Tina a new law be enacte1 c-o,t
ing commission to fnmedfafef,. 1870,
lNt revenue laws of the state
.f.io- me- me laws granting counties.
clLies- etc. authority 90 levy f-Xes be
fbe,- ~. as 10 the limits Of the levies
o.. Ihat Tire taxation piar referred
20 lh tnis report. which separates tho
source OF revenue fer the state ana
county. be Investigated and considore5 ;
9. fhat subdivision ~ scctfon 9-Vd
re tIncnceu to permit the board To
appoint Gui-f clerk with q calar,. ~
at 50 a dag.
3. That the law relating 10 the ne
rtrHIheut or net proceeds of mines Doe
anltneea as suggested Ga this rcnorf
@. That the law relating 10 coftnf,-
asscSs0rs be changed so rs %, -oqIfe no
cttlce appointlve Tor term not lees
i, nan IouT years and that the salary be
e.. That an appropriation of e. 600 be
Hleuc 20 defray the expense Of three
delegates TO the annual conference 81
the fnterna tionaI Tax assocfafion for
the years 1gf1-19f2.
. Ttat an amendment 20 the con-
btiluiipn De proposed aud submitted for
800 .igH' granting the legislature di-
rect an0 fun power to enact laws with
reference to taxation.
Record Gain II shown.
me total increase in assessed vaIu-
atoms since the last report fs s2O.377.-
SCENTS the gain I'm the past vcar -rhis
D. the heaviest percentage II xafn fn
the history Of the state. Between the
years 1909 and 1903 the increase was
nearly Sft.Oo0.O0O. while the avora 81
gain per year since 1900 has been ana
pr,o7.yyimsteiy s7.ooo.ooo.
The total assessed variation II rail-
roads I'm Utah is s26.S-f031. with me
Denver q Rio Grande railroad heading
TIE list with total OF 29.2SSf12. The
san Pedro. los Angeles a. salt Lake
railroad comes next with total Of
S3.bsO. 1913. TIE Southern Pacific fs as
seFsed az ft.c11.753. the Western Pa
cific al SL061.055. the Union Pacific al
$l.542.3l6. nd the salt Lake q Ogden
at S2f2.bS9. Numerous smaIIe~ roads.
including The Eureka. Hills. the salt
Lake q Mercur. the Echo & Park city.
and manv others bring up tho total
The total mileage in the state is p
131 q which 2.1O2 IS main tracI1lge.
and $50 is branch trackage.
The total assessed valuation Of live
stock Is placed az S10.9S3.694.
The total personal property valuation
L. coy 10 nln