Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1921-01-05

and will inclSase our present revenue
for maintenance of the roads about two
and one-half times.
In this connection, would also call
your attention to the heavy cost, under
the present system Of distributing the
automobile tags.
1t has been suggested that these
plates might be distributed to the cOun-
ty treasurers, for issuance to machine
owners. thus saving to the state that
large amount and possible listing more
automobiles for taxation with the as
SCISSORS.
Revenue From Gasoline.
The state Of Oregon is now collecting
each year one million dollars from q IL
oense fee on distribution of gasoline
and distillate of one cent per gallon
Oregon registers about 100000 ma
chimes. Montana about $4,000.
know of no more certain and equit-
able way Of adding probably half mil
lion dollars each year to our revenues
or collecting it from q source that is
better able to bear the slight burden to
the individual than the Oregon plan.
/ urge Its immediate adoption in Mon
tana, but leave to your wise discretion
the plan Of distribution of the proceeds.
Tax Commission.
The matter of equitable taxation is
SO important and far reaching. so vital
ly affecting every industry, community
and person that It should receive the
earnest attention of this body.
Our present system is obsolete, nm
scientific and unfair. It is leading into
bankruptcy. social unrest and ultimate
disaster. The truth is that no legs-
lative body, such as this. in Montana, or
any. other state, can solve the complex
problem.
Neither you nor I have the knowledge
nor the technical information nor train
ing to work out any co-ordinated system
OF taxation, during the busy days of
legislative session
In no department of government are
we so forced to rely on patient inyesti-
CATION by trained investigators, if we
are to accomplish any thing of perma-
Dent value.
In the matter of taxation. Montana
mas Jagged in the very rear of all the
other states.
/ cannot too strongly urge upon you
the imperative and immediate necessity
OF creating a permanent tax commission
OF three members
They should be given a six-year term.
so as to get the benefit Of their real
services. They should be appointed BY
the executive and subject to removal BY
him. and not left to the hap-hazard Sc
lection of primary election. The sal
airy should be at least 5000 and $6OO0
would be better, so as to enable us to
find highly competent men for the place.
In urging this matter, realize that
such tax commission can. under our
present constitutional provision, only be
advisory and supplemental to the present
state board of equalization during the
next two years, or until the constitu-
tional amendment proposed in the re-
port of the tax and license commission
IN 1918 can be submitted and adopted.
Double Present Fees.
line secretary of Estate now collects
about $4,000 annually for filing fees.
This revenue could easily be doubled
without working hardship on anyone.
Oregon now collects $500. 900 from this
source
The filing. recording and marriage IL
cense fees in the county could weld
double the present revenue By the same
process and to that extent relieve the
extra heavy burden now being borne
by all classes Of farm and city real es-
tate. %
For the class of service rendered. the
present fee system in these offices is
entirely too low.
Commission Government.
{. Efficient government can only be had
by concentrating responsibility in the
hands of the fewest number OF off
Gals possible and then holding then,
responsible.
r am satisfied that much of our pres
ent Indebtedness and extravagant waste
mr. s~
has come from the present system OF
loose county governments. Nv iudr-
ment is that heavy reduction in local
expenditures and taxation can be made
II you will only change the present sys-
TEN of county government for a modern
business system of administration.
over in Missoula, just ten years ago.
we found our city government oyerbur-
dened with employees. with expenses pill
ing up from every quarter, with an an
nual deficit approaching $4,000 per
year. We had exceeded our constitu
tionai limit of Indebtedness by many
thousands and the community faced in
evitable bankruptcy.
We had been running our CITY affairs
on the old political organization plan.
Each two years we would put I'M poyi
teal nominees for mayor. treasurer.
clty attorney and two aldermen from
each ward
On Political Basis.
Whichever political organization sue
ceeded in electing its ticket and ma
1orlfy of the council would immediately
proceed to fire the chief of police and
the entire police force. Then we would
Gust the fire department, the city clerk
and ON down to the city dog catcher.
The old time political hanxers-on
would demand that their teams should
be employed in grading the streets and
other odd Jobs. We even saw that the
city hay and oats for the fire teams were
bought from stores whose owners were
politically supporters of the city Off
instead of running our local commun
ny business affairs on a pure business
basis. we had been running them on .
political basis. Only threatened munich
pal bankruptcy drove us into a change.
In an awakened consciousness OF the
impending danger. We determined 10 try
out the commission government" plan
Of carrying on our community business
OF paving streets. laying sidewalks.
Cleaning the streets and alleys, insuring
sufficient water supply and other mat
ters of community interest,
SOME among us deprecated the thought
Of changing the old for the new and
others insisted that the whole thing
savorcd Of socialism.