The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-03
ONLY THE CITY REDUCES.

The Salt Lake City Council at its
regular meeting on Monday night con-
firmed the Recommendation Of the
Board of Estimates and reduced the
city tax rate from fifteen mills to
thirteen mills. The Council called in
the Mayor and other officials to as
certain definitely whether the thirteen
mill tax would be ample for the opera
tions of the year; and was assured
that it would be
It is an excellent example for the tax
ing units OF the State. We could wish
that the county tax had also been re-
duced, especially as the claim has been
made heretofore that the reason why
the county tax has been kept so high
was because OF the expense in build
ing a new jail. and the entirely need
less and prospective costly county hos
pital had to be paid for, and that they
were being paid for by the current reve-
nues of the year This being so, there
certainly should have been an abate.
ment of the county tax this year; but
1T is kept up to the old figure, and
the taxpayers have no relief But they
should have such relief. because the
assessed valuation of the county has
been increased fifty per cent since
this rate was esta blished; the taxation
on the assessment roll being, therefore,
fifty per cent greater than it was a
few years back. The taxpayers of the
county are wondering if there can ever
come time when the county tax will
be reduced little as an evidence of
good faith, if for nothing else.
The Board of Education in this city
is also keeping up the taxation to the
extreme limit. and is complaining to
the North Benchers that it has not
money enough to build the school it
agreed with them to build. In spite
of the fifty per cent added value on
the tax roll, the rate of taxation is
kept to the highest possible notch by
the Board all the time; and all the time
it is complaining that it needs more
money. It's handling of the great reve-
nues at its disposal is subject to ae-
we're criticism at times, and the in
competence. or worse, Of some of the
members Of the Board is manifest all
the time; also the determination of the
majority to conduct school affairs to
the advantage Of the sectarian inter
ests of that majority; and all of this
at the expense of the taxpaying pub.
lie, which is by no means confined to
one sect; but, on the contrary, the
general public not of that sect pays more
than half Of the whole school district
taxation A great injustice is here, an
injustice that could be mitigated some
what by reduction Of the taxation cor.
responding to the increased valuation
on the assessment roll; but there ap-
pears no disposal On the part of tho
Board to grant this relief.
The State partisan machine in con-
troll Of Utah's affairs not only shows
no disposition to ease up On the State
taxation, but is diligently seeking
methods to increase it. The highest
limit allowed in the constitution az
the rate Of tax levy is constantly ap-
Piled, and this year the State Board
OF Equalization is wrestling with the
counties to get them to increase their
assessed valuations so that a greater
amount of taxes can be wrung from
the people. Cache county has been
visited officially in the interests OF this
programme, Weber county also, San
Pete too. and probably other counties.
The sacred soil of Utah county. where
Apostle-Senator smoot resides. and
where he is supreme in civil affairs.
will probably escape this importantly.
But ths other counties in the State