The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-04-15
IDAHO'S NEW SOIONS TO HAVE
GOOD. ADVISE

Revenue Sub-C Committees Are
Working and Recommends
tions Will Be Made
Twin Falls News
The great question of reorganizing
Idahos taxation system, for which
the state convention of county COM
missioners was called last winter by
Governor Brady at Boise, will be
passed up to the legislature accomp-
anied by the most explicit recommen-
dations the commissioners can make
This Is the statement of Commits
sioner e. r. Sherman of Twin Falls
county, who said this week that the
News editorial of last week bearing
on this matter was an unjust criticism
of the commissioners attitudes.
The News was mistaken" he exS
planned, lin assuming that the con-
vention that Governor Brady created
would SO far forget its responsibilities
as to investigate the taxation subject
and then fail to formally transmit its
findings to the next general assem-
bly,. i,
1--WE, expect to afford the members
of the next house and senate much
detailed information that the COM
mittees and subcommittee of the
commissioners convention have Sc:
cured. These committees are array
ing more all the time which may bear
intelligently on the taxation question
in this state, and l believe that the
public will be well satisfied with the
work of the commissioners convenl
ton when our final reports shall be
made" VI
Bearing on this same question, the
News is in receipt Of the following
letter from County Commissioner c.
T. Harte of Rupert, member of the
committee on revenue and taxation
that the commissioners convention
created, and in which he says: Ia
To the Editor of the Twin Falls
News-Dear Sir: The editorial in
your issue of March 26th, concerning
the work Of the revenue committee
of the County Commissioners assoc
citation, apparently was based upon a
misunderstanding in so far as 1t criti-
cises the committee for an assumed
failure to agree upon and recommend
adequate remedies for the defects in
our revenue system.
This committee was appointed at
the convention of county commission
ers held last December, and was in
structed to report recommendations
as to needed changes In our taxation
system to the next convention of COM
missioners, which will be held in De-
cember of this year. The committee
was not expected to complete its Ia
bors sooner than next December and
there are grave doubts as to whether
1t will be able to dispose of the SUBJ
ject in satisfactory manner within
that time.
A revision of taxation system of
a state involves so many complex
problems and such a vast amount of l
investigation and labor that, speaking
as member of the committee, l do
not expect that we will be able to
handle the subject in an exhaustive
and final way within the time at our
disposal. When the state of Califor-
MIA set about to revise its revenue
laws 1t appointed special commits:
sion of five members, at a compen-
sation of $40 per day, gave it author
ity to employ the best tax expert that |
could be obtained and instructed 1t
to spend two years on the work. The
state of Michigan spent $4,000 for4
4 revision of its railroad taxation laws
alone, which is only one branch of
the subject. A majority of the more
states have created spell
cial commissions and expended large
sums of money to provide scientific
and equitable system of taxation and
money has been returned many fold
in the shape of increased revenues
and more efficient methods.
Idaho is far behind the other states
in the matter of taxation methods.
The system still in use In this state
was devised ESQ years ago, and was
designed to cover conditions that no
onger exist. The necessity for re-
'orm was SO apparent that the county
commissioners felt it to be their duty
% start the movement. The commit
ZEE appointed by them is unauthor-
zed by law and unofficial and the
members serve without compensation.
Z Under the circumstances it is not
reasonable to expect this committee
o dispose of the many grave and
problems involved in this
subject within the time at it's dis
,osal.
l hope that we will be able to pio-
leer the movement for taxation re-
orm, but that is all that we can hope
o do. believe that we will be able
o make such report that its adop-
ion by the next legislature will open
he way for the work to 60 on to sat
completion.
| have written at this length in or
er that you and your readers may
ave fuller understanding of the
York of this committee. The press
an accomplish much good by i'm
ressing upon the public the imper-
tive need of revolutionizing our tax
1ethods, and l am sure that the
LEWIS can be relied upon to do its :
hare.
Respectfully yours,