The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-07-26
PARTIsANsHIP AND TAXES.

FI NAAt Abt aSoNhH fN"-Nf~-%
in the editorial on taxes yesterday
morning in the Smoot organ. The as
sumption all through that article IS that
because the State Board OF Equaliza-
tiou mas reduced the State tax levy
bv one half mill, therefore the taxa
ton il a reduction by that much Of the
State tax burden. Its statement was
that "the Republican State Govern
ment has responded to the public wish
by reducing its levy which is an in
accuracy that will deceive no one when
he comes TO pay his taxes. What the
organ should have said was that the
State administration has made small
reduction in ITS tax rate, but that oy
reason Of the raise IN values on the
assessment roll. the levy and State
revenue, the amount paid by the tax
PAYERS TO the State will be practically
ne same as before. And when we re-
call that the county administration
has not made any reduction In its levy,
nor the city, nor the school district,
every taxpayer will find when he
comes 10 pay his taxes next fall that
he has 10 paw more than before, 10
spite of the half mill reduction in the
State rate,
The organ was in fault-flndlng
mood Yesterday morning against the
city commission because that commits
sion has not made a reduction IN the
| citv tax levy, and il attributes the
/ failure of the city administration TO
make this reduction 10 the fact that
/ IT Is not a partisan government and
not responsible 10 any political party
| for its official action. 1.-The chief In
fluences which fathered IL in the sam
paign,'' saws the organ, dissolved af-
ter the votes had been counted, in con
formity with the amiable and comfort
ING theory that the officials must be
| lcf, unhampered Therefore its ar
gument is that there is no party pres
sure that can be brought to bear upon
the city commission to force 1t TO re-
ducc the tax levy. "The city com
mission Of Salt Lake. says the or
gan, sis assuredlv an excellent argu'
mcnt for party government, and IT
adds that "the party with county,
State. and National affiliations has a
future as we'll as past and present.
How is it then, With the county
government. which is affiliated with a
party which has future as well as
past and n PRESENT. Has this county
administration reduced its tax levy!
IL II, h. ,,rur
il has made a trifling increase in that
levy. But If responsibility. TO a party
should cause reduction Of taxation
for Salt Lake municipality. how docs
II come that responsibility to a party
has not influenced the county commits.
sioners TO reduce the county tax levy7
The failure to make this reduction Is
all the more iuexcusable since the or
gan but n short time ago took occasion
TO show to the people the strong finan.
cisl position of the county, how it had
tleuty OF money. and is easily able
TO make a reduction il the commits.
sioners had SO desired And yet, in
spite of all. the county commissioners
made no reduction!
Tho organ argument thus falls lame
at once the moment it is examined. To
say that the city commission would
have reduced its tax levy il IL had been
partisan body and at the same time
To show that the county commission,
partisan body altogether, failed to re-
duce It's rate of taxation III spite of its
responsibility 10 "A party, VIII hardly
do as an argument TO taxpayers The
result is precisely the same in reduc
tion-whether there Is party respon-
| sibility or uot-no tax reduction at all.
so whore is the argument for party re
| sponsibilityl
! The truth is that the American city
/ administration il the only taxing en-
/ tity in all this region that has respond
ed TO the double reasons why there
/ should be a reduction IN the tax levy,
these reasons being first, the very
great increase in the valuation on the
assessment roll (though that increase
was then less than il is this year,, and
second. the urgent demand of the tax.
\ PAYERS for relief. On both accounts
I tho American administration consid-
cred that il WAS duty TO reduce the
taxation by two mills, which Was q
real reduction in the revenue OF the
city and in the burden upon the tax.
PAYERS.
The State administration nominslly
responds in a small way, TO this in.
creased valuation on the tax roll and
tho demand OF the taxpayers for re
lief. bv a reduction of one-hslf mill in
tho rate of the state levy. But sum.
med up 10 the actual amount that the
taxpayer Will have to pay for State
purposes, the relief is practically moth
ing. since the -. mill tax rate on the
inflated valuations will Weld practical.
ly as much revenue. and wiring about
as much from the taxpayers, as the :
mill levy on the lower valuation. And
when wc add to this the uorcduced tax
rate In the county, in the city. and in
the school district. and consider at the
same time the great increase in as
Il.