Rocky Ford enterprise., 1911-06-09
FRIDAY. JUNE 9, 1911
STATE CAPITOL NEWS

Governor Shafroth vetoed the sixty
nine road and bridge bills which carried
an appropriation from the internal i'm
provement fund of S25S. 1000. At the
same time he announced that the bill
transferring this fund to the State High
way Commission would become a law.
These bills were known as the pork
barrel" bills. The governors reason for
vetoing them was that the platform on
which he was elected guaranteed that
this fund should be turned over to the
state highway commission. His act pre-
vents the several counties from getting
individual appropriations. and places all
of this money in the hands Of the state
highway commission for expenditure.
The members of the assembly were tied
up about ten days on the distribution Of
this fund.
Governor Shafroth vetoed the land
board bill which had for its object the
payment to the leasor Of state land one
half Of the increased value Of the land
should it be sold at the expiration of the
lease. The bill provided that If the state
land commission should sell leased land
at the expiration of the lease. the leasor
should be given one-half the amount Of
the increase in its value. the idea being
that he is entitled to this for having de-
vsloped the land. The governor merely
held that he was not entitled to any such
consideration.
Governor Shafroth has signed the tax
commission bill. In its far reaching eff
feets this bill is without doubt the most
important measure that was enacted
during the session. 1t provides for the
appointment Of tax commission Of three
members. by the governor and the state
treasurer. The members OF the commits
sion receive $1,000 per year each. They
are also given the power to investigate
the values placed on local property by
county assessors. They have the right
to increase or decrease valuations in the
compiling Of assessment rolls and the
levying OF taxes. They are commanded
to investigate thoroughly the work of all
county assessors a.least every two years,
They are given unlimited power with
which to conduct this investigation. even
to the extent Of suspending county asses
sors and county boards Of equalization
They are clothed with power to appoin,
experts. accountants. appraisers. clerks
and any other employees necessary te
reach a valuation on the local and cor.
porate properties Of the state. In short.
the bill seeks to clothe them with all the
power nov possessed by the state board
Of equalization and by the several county
assessors and county boards Of equaliza-
ton in the state. Not only that, but the
by clothed with all OF the rights and privi-
leges as an individual resident of the state
The object of the bill is two-fold
First, to create a state house machine in
every county in the state. And second.
to increase the value on local property.
The measure will undoubtedly be attack
ed on two grounds. First. that the legis-
lature did not have the right to elothe an
appointed commission with all the duties
OF the state board OF equalization and
with controlling power over the several
county assessors. And second. that ever.
if it did have the right. the appointment
OF the commission should be made by a
majority vote Of the state board of equal
zation and not by two out of tie five
members.
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