Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1913-01-07

public utilities commission would be
justified at this time. In case this sug-
gestion is adopted, the commission so
created should be composed of three
members, appointed for long term
and removable only for cause, and the
law should provide that not more than
one vacancy should occur In any one
year. This commission should be given
authority to exercise such poweS, and
they should be obligated to perform
such duties as you, in your judgment,
may prescribe along the line of the
work now performed by similar COM
missions in other states where these
ideas have been worked out and are in
practical and successful operation at
the present time. Such law as may be
enacted in this connection should pro-
vide for full and fair publicity con-
corning such public service corpora
tons. This publicity should properly
relate to actual valuation, captaliza-
ton, management, ownership, earnings
and control, TO the end that earnings
may be limited in every case to a fair
and reasonable return on capital in
vested and the people be net required
to pay such rates as vii! enable our
public service corporations to pay divi-
dends upon watered stock for which
there has been no actual investment.
A Combined Tax and Public Utilities
Commission.
In view of the fact tAat il both a tax
commission and public utilities COM
mission We're to be created they would,
for the first few years at least, be work
| ing along murh the same line, collect
ing practically the same data. classify
ing it in much the same way, with the
result that a large part of the work
done by either commission would be
| duplicated by the other, it will be well
for you to seriously consider whether,
in the interests of economy, one COM
mission may not be created at this
time, and be required to perform the
duties Of both a tax and public utii-
ties commission. # this suggestion is
adopted by you it will be necessary for
you to work out most carefully in the
law creating this commission the sep
arate and respective duties which are
to be performed by this body in its ca
pacity as tax commission and as
public utilities commission Decision
of this question should not be hurried
| ~ made but if, OH full and careful in
vestigation, you are convinced that
such a combination would be practi-
cable, and that one commission would
/ be able, for the time being, to fully
perform the duties both of tax and
public utilities commission. then, in
the interests of economy, l feel that
this suggested combination should be
made.
Its adoption would serve to limit
somewhat the number Of offices to be
created by this legislature, consid-
Grafton which should not be overlooked
at any stage of Your deliberations.
Taxation of Mines.
For some time complaint has been
made that the producing mines of this
state have not been assessed in such
manner as to provide for the payment
by them of their just share of the tax
burdens of the state.
The constitution of this state pro-
vides in section of article I as fol-
lows:
The legislature shall provide such
revenue as may be needful. by levying
a tax by valuation, so that every per-
son or corporation shall pay tax in
proportion to the value of his. her, or
its property, except as in this article
HtTelll olittIWiSe pIoNlutu.
| The question has been raised as to
whether or not the present system of
taxing mines is not in violation of this
clause of the constitution. / suggest
that you carefully investigate and con-
slider this subject. and if il is found
that the mining property of this state
does not pay its just and equal share
of taxation, or IL It is found that the
/
such property is not ia accordance
with the mandate Of the constitution.
you should not hesitate t. 50 amend
the law as to provide both for the
proper system of taxation and for such
means of determining values as will
justly equalize the burden of taxation
as between this class of property and
all other taxable property within the
state.
/ Special Funds in State Treasury.
There have, from time to time, been
created by laws relating to the vari-
Gus departments Of state government,
special funds in which fees, fines and
other collections pertaining to par
ticular department has been placed,
and against which this department has
been allowed to draw for general pur-
poses of maintenance and operation
In my opinion this practice is wrong
IN principle and should bo at once dis
continued. ! advocate the passage by
you of a law abolishing all special
funds which exist at the present time
and which are subject to use by any
department in the manner indicated.
J Each department of the state govern
ment should be given an appropriation
- usnntinuon IN pare E{yN