The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-01-20

to authorize the 0Sta Dl1ShmenC OF
building corporations at the five
state schools. These corporations
would finance the building of dormi-
tories for girls and the buildings,
after being paid for, would become
the property CT the state.
No Bond Issue for Roads.
The governor proposed to the leg
islature that no effort at bond issues
for good roads building be attempted
at this time. The state highway
commission has worked out a plan
whereby the license taxes on motor
cars could be used to pay all of the
reasonable demands for state aid IN
der the constitutional amendment
for several years. This would in
crease the tax on cars and trucks,
the greatest beneficiaries Of hard
roads and would raise approximately
million dollars a year for state aid
and leave 1 million dollars a year in
the counties for road dragging and
maintenance. The governor also pro-
posed a small tax on gasoline to be
used to create a hard road mainten-
ance fund.
State Brick and Cement Plant.
The governor proposed that the
state go into the brick and cement
making business to furnish materials
for roads. He said:
For some years we have been
making building brick at the peni-
| Tertiary plant, and man. thousands
of dollars have been saved annually
in the construction of state buildings
| by this product Recently a scien-
| tific test was made of some shale at
| the penitentiary, and the assurance
| is obtained that we could make
/ n
pass as high a test as any paving
brick now on the market. 1t would
not cost much to add to our brick
plant, already established. sufficient
machinery for making PAYERS.
In addition to this. the state
doubtless could save much money by
! operating a cement plant for its own
roads. If the first million dollars
collected from the vehicle licenses
were used to start a cement plant,
the state could then contribute its
aid to counties which were building
cement roads in the form of cement
at cost. In a year, with an 8-mil-
| lion-dollar program, the saving on
the cost of cement would go far to-
wards paying for the plant
THE objection that this would
place the state in competition with
cause the state product would be
utilized for public business only. In
| cidentaIly the indirect effect might
help the general public in securing
relief from one of the most harmful
monopolies of the day-the cement
trust"
Increase Tax Revenues.
In discussing his proposals to In
crease the states revenues without
increasing direct property taxation
Governor Allen said:
1T is perfectly apparent that Kan
sas should increase the sources OF
her taxation, in order that the pres
ent heavy burden of taxes upon tan
gible property may be lightened.
Our neighboring state on the
south secures from a tax on oil an
annual revenue of four and One-halt
million dollars. A tax upon the same
basis would give to this state a reve
nue. of something like three million
dollars or practically half of the leg
: islative appropriations for the eX
penses of Kansas government for &
year.
Owing to the inhibitions of hel
constitution, it is doubtful if Kansas
could establish this form of tax, bu
it is believed that the Legislature
might pass a law fixing a charge fol
the privilege of producing petroleum
either by way of a license fee or al
occupation tax.
1T has been suggested that Kan
sas might also, without adding I'm
: duly to any burden, produce a reve
nUe to establish a permanent road
repair fund by small tax upoI
gasoline.
Extend Inheritance Tax
} ST believe that at least a million
dollars annually might be added tt
t our revenues by some slight amend
l ment to the inheritance tax All bu
three states of the union hav
e availed themselves of this source o
D revenue Forty-one states tax bot
l direct and collateral inheritances AM
r only four states limit the liability o
q the tax to collateral inheritances.
In this state legislation upon tn
subject has had difficulty in comm
o into conformity with the general lay
: of the subject the country over. TIL
J. first law was enacted in 1909 It wa
h | repealed in 1913. In 1915 the la7
i was re-enacted as a collateral Law
II and in 1919 the tax upon direct IL
n heritances was restored.
!. Since the law was first passe
more than two million dollars hav
# been paid into the general revenu
3 fund OF the state. The law. howeve
n does not produce revenue to such a
extent as do the laws of other states
3 and the reason for this is obvious
e The present exemptions to direC
o heirs are too great"
e To Resubmit Tax Amendment.
The governor urged that the Iegf
lature submit a new tax amendmeI
e. to the state constitution that will CIV
d the legislature some leeway in raisin
d revenues and also permit the state [
II secure taxes from property that no
y escapes. This amendment was defea
E ed by the voters in the last election
If chiefly because of misunderstandir
f. of its provisions. There is a demar
q that it be sent back to the voters
If the next election. Governor Allen s
gested that the legislature provide
If method of education of the voters {
% the tax amendment.
"a He also suggested that the legisl
~ ture give some consideration to met
n. DDS whereby the state might esta
ar lish an income tax
Remodel the Jury System.