The daily sentinel., 1912-10-18
HIGHER TAXES
AND MORE jobs
Local Attorney Declares Grand June
ton People win Be Put at Heav-
lei Expense aud Much Annoy
anee by Home Rule Bill.

Mr. Walter Walker. Editor Sentinel:
1t is clearly impossible for all the
people OF this state 10 become IA
mlliar with the proylsIons of all the
bills to bc voted lfor at the coming
election. but tho% directly concern
ing us should ba known snd dis
cussel before adoption.
The name. Home Rule Bill" was
evidently adopted 10 catch the unwa-
ry because OF th9 facts we generally
believe we should control our local
anairs. but tho nj Slc is n mispomcr.
II ought TO be krbwn by It's correct
titlc-'thc home bnis-rulo bill"
Now the Durpkse Of the so-called
home rule bin + 70 repair the hole
Knocked in our charter by the SUI
preme court, and5-tp avoid such
dangerous thing Il the courts
We attempted 4, Set up n separate
system Of REGISTRATION in this city.
costing possibly dker 2I.UnO, and We
held an election ,Edcr that reEistra-
ton, and the suprkmc court held that
II was Illegal. arp. consequently. If
the registration and election was IL
legal. so all officers elected under
such registration and election were
AAHN lNlHtAllA ilftlNN- I HIS llIl is Ilt-
Oguized by a provision in the bill
seeking to legalize that election for
fear some one Will start quo war
ranto proceedings to nust them. The
provision is rs follows:
'All provisions of the charter of
the city and county of Denver and
of the cities of Pueblo, Colorado
Springs and Grand junction hereto
fore certified to and filed with the
secretary of state and of the charter
OF any other city heretofore approved
by majority of those voting there
on and certified to and filed with the
secretary of state. which provisions
are not in conflict with this article
and all elections and electoral votes
heretofore had under and pursuant
thereto, are hereby ratified, affirmed
and validated. as of their date.
In other words il is sought to rat
| ify, affirm and validate an election
| said to he Illegal by the supreme
court. Now this isn't so bad because
I the people didn't know the supreme
court would knock ont the election
hui there are other provisions in that
so-called home rule bill which should
/ impell all fair minded people to vote
II down.
subdivision &. of Section q.
The assessment of property in
such city or town for municipa tax
alton and levy and collection of
! taxes, thereon for municipal purpOs-
es and special assessment for NUM-
cipal improvements such assessment
levy and collection of taxes and spe-
cial assessment to be made by NUM-
eipal officials or by county or state
nf nj.
charter"
Now. what does this mean? I'm
der our present system the county
makes the assessment and only one
assessment. The city makes their
levy and certifes it up and the coun-
! ty treasurer collects all taxes.
If this amendment Is adopted the
city puts its assessors out and as
sesses the property, and the county
does also. Thus double assessment,
meaning double expense The city
would have few more jobs for
somebody at the expense of the tax
! payers.
Instead Of paying our taxes to the
county treasurer we will have a city
! treasurer to reckon with. A great
many would have their property sold
/ before they got onto the new scheme
! just as many lost their votes think
ing that If they had registered in the
/ city they did not have to register un-
7 der the county. The city would
have a few more jobs TO hand out at
the expense of the taxpayers. Isn't the
I present system satisfactory? When
we pay our taxes now we get n re-
ceipt covering all state, county, city,
sewer and school taxes, and we don't
have to run around hunting up some
other tax collector The provision
similar to this is in the Grand June
tion charter, but has never been en-
forced as the supreme court might
knock another hole in our charter
and forstall any such decision, we are
asked to endorse this proposition.
The proposition is so vast and so
. far-reaching ii cannot be discussed
IN an article of reasonable length
but 1t is sufficient to say the muni-
cipal registration was nothing COM
pared to the double assessment of
urer gives a $4OO,00O bond, so the
city is protected. What will be the
city treasurer's bond? What salary
will he get? What salary will the
city assessor" get? On what basis
will he assess? Full valuation or on
the single tax theory? When will
the taxes be payable? Who gets the
tax list? Who sells property and
who issues the tax deeds?
ask these question to indicate to
the reader what it means and the or
dinances which must be passed to
put it into effect. 1t took l3S pages
of the session laws of 1902 to pro-
vide for the assessment and collec-
ton of taxes in the state and it will
take as much space to institute
double system in this city. What
a fat job it would be for the mu-
nical printer
Another provision is this so-called
home rule bill, which should be ex-
planned to a waiting and anxious
public.
The latter part of subdivision II
In viola ,;n,