The Delta independent., 1913-05-02
WHAT TAXPAYERS ARE NOW
UP AGAINST IN COLORADO.
pueblo Chieftain.)

/
Colorado look in the face the situation
that confronts them as regards taxa
ton?
The tax commission OF the state OF
Colorado has just issued a statement
of the taxes paid by the people of this
state. which shows that there is a tot
al increase of s4,9Ss.225.s1 in the
past six years. This is exclusive of
any receipts from fees or licenses.
This is an increase of S6.25 for each
Colorado
That is the present condition, but
the end is not yet
The present mill levy for the state
for the year 1912 is 4 Is mills, but
under the new law the property in the
state must be assessed at its full cash
value. which means increasing the
present assessed valuation three
times.
! The same law that provides for this
increase in the assessed valuation lin
its the state tax to mills, but if 4
mills was levied under the increased
valuation it would equal IL mills un-
der the old valuation.
The new law holds the counties
down to little less than their pres
ent income. but makes all of the in
crease come to the state treasury.
The appropriation bills of the last
legislature provide for an expenditure
of s75O.O0O more than the estimated
revenue of the state. so that if these
appropriations stand. the mill levy
OF the state will have to provide that
additional amount. This is an III
crease of close to 81 for every man,
woman and child in the state of colo
rado.
/ Under the Democratic administers
tion of President Wilson at Wash
ineton they plan to have free sugar,
I free wool. free lead and free zinc. OF
course. that means that those indus
tries will be less able to pay in
creased state taxes. and the situation
/ is such as to demand serious consid-
Grafton by the people. whether they
own a dollars worth of property or a
million dollars worth of property.
But the foregoing is not the culmi-
nation OF this eXorbitant tax burden
which is being laid upon our people.
The National government at Wash
ington has enacted an income tax law
and in addition to this the Democrat
I a 1T rNr<.
rado has also passed an income tax
law. thus imposing an additional bur
den on the business interests of the
state.
How much of this can the business
men of a growing state stand?
1t does not mean that this increas-
ed taxation has provided us with any
better form of government or brought
additional happiness to our people,
but II does demonstrate that this vast
sum has been wrested from the pock-
cts of the tax payers and dissipated
by Democratic inefficiency and ex-
travagance
1t is an unassailable fact that all
taxation falls upon the consumer. and
instead of the Democratic party being
true in its grandstand play that ii
is benefitting the laboring classes. it
\ is working to their everlasting injury.
At the last census Colorado had a,
bout 100000 persons, but II this ire
mendous burden of taxation caused
through Democratic jobbery and eX-
travagance is not lessened in the near
future, the population of the state is
liable to decrease 100000.
The members of the Democratic ad-
ministration are whistling to keep up
courage, but so serious is the situa-
tion as regards the increase in taxa
tion they see nothing before them but
ignominious defeat
The people of Colorado are long
suffering. and they are willing to be
loyal to the state. but the burden has
become so great that it affects the
welfare of every man. woman and
child to an extent that wipes prosper
ity from our doors and replaces II
with struggle for existence.