Pueblo chieftain., 1922-03-08
{. A. LEMMERS EXPLAINS TO R0TARIANS
Why YC0LORAD0 TAXES ARE What THEY ARE

creASos OF t&3ea SHOWN tnerouy' thA1
we may not be nlisled as to the rea.
sona for said increases. The total
amount Of state taxes realized from
the mill levy Of SAT for 1920 was
$5,51S,22S.S0, and the amount to- be
realized from the mill levy of 4.35
Is an increase of s1,S4s,721.os. or
about S%6o,o00 less than would have
been shown IL the Legislature had ap-
propriated to the full amount of
mill increase authorized by the 1920
vote of the people. You will ask, Of
The records show that $1.106.657.30
Is for the educational institutions,
which includes the . of a mill for the
university medical school; about
3197.00o of It Is for interest on the
highway bonds authorized by the vote
eral state purposes Is $47.44s.o1: for
tho state hospital for the insane.
$t42,6+: for stock inspection, state
fair. blind benefits, etc. s1s.5o4.1S
(and the blind benefits were authori-
sed by vote OF the people in 1879: for
with decrease of $1,23s.37 for the
state capitol and museum and office
buildings. This again proves that
substantially every dollar OF this years
increase in state taxes is due to the
direct action of tho people at the
I
state Legislature or the state adminis-
traticn.
Now SO. this fact clear In your
f, minds; The mill levies regularly au-
thorixed by the Legislature and final
! ly established by the board OF equali-
zAtion. which must be kept within the
limit OF mills. represent the extent
OF general state taxation.
When you go to the fish and garno
department and purchase a hunting
or fishing license. You get something
definite for your money and are not
paying general state taxes.
When you so to tho secretary Of
states office or to your county clerks
office and purchase a license 10 oper-
ate an automobile on tho highways of
the state, you get something definite
for your money and are not paying
general state taxes. and the money
thu. paid for these licenses. except the
cost of administration, goes into high
way construction thruout the state.
and every. county IN the state gets 4
portion of Il.
! When you go to the secretary OF
states office and pay an annual state
license tax on some corporation with
which you are connected, you get
something definite for your money and
arc not paying general state tax.
national defense bonds authorized by
a Democratic Legislature during Gov
Srnor Gunters term, and re-authorized
by two succeeding Legislatures, to-
Kcthcr with tho interest on said bonds.
and the money derived from the isyn-
snc~ OF said bonds was appropriated
, to be used to build armorles for tho
National Guard and for the expenses
OF the State Rangers. hence when any
body pays an anual state corporation
! license tax he is not paying general
state taxes, and when anybody af-
firms that tho general taxpayers Of the
state arc being bled white for the state
military establishment tmcaninE tho
Rangers and the Armories). just tell
them that It is not so. and that YOU
can prove II. and you can also say that
I by reason Of this expenditure the ma
t!onal government Is paying into the
state, for the support OF the natIoal
guard. abou, 100000 annually in cash,
b,rid.s sending in thousands OF dol
lars in supplies, and remember that
this large sum OF money IL being cir
culatcd at stated intervals among tho
people OF the state. and that tho cities
50 fortunate as TO iccurc arnorics
have occurred auditorlumS for the use
of the people that probably would not
have been obtained In any other way.
When YOU pay to have your plumbing
o. your coal mines inspected. or any
other work performed or service rem
dcred hy any of the boards. bureaus.
or commissions which charge stated
fees for their fcryices. whatever they
NAV be. iust remember that YOU arc
paying for a definite special service
and ar. not paying general state
taxes. at all.
You have heard a great dcal o, talk
concerning tho multiplicity OF state
boards. bureaus. commissions. etc, and
tic terrific burdens they intlict on the
general taxpayer Of tho state, but do
YOU rcllizc that IL every ono OF these
boards, bureaus. commissions. depart
mcutr etc. should he abolished at ono
fcli swoop. along with cvcry Office filled
by election OF state officials, together
with all appointive offices in all OF the
departments OF the state government
az Denver. that your mill levy would
b. reduced thereby to tho extent OF
only a little more than onc-hElf or n
mIl7 That IL the fact. however. as
little figuring Will prove For Instance.
the total revenue raised by tn" i.35
mill levy for 1921 1tarss payable be-
tween March 1 and August I. io22)i
amounts to 1854 pass. Tho revenue
FOR general state purposes C6ls55 OF n
min amounts to Sa1sisis7, which Is
loss than ouc-scventh OF tho total
state tax. The total taxes levied for
tho cniiro state for this same period
. tthc lcvies OF tho various counties.
i cities and school districts varying In
accordance with their individual needs
| or in accordance with the generosity
q, tho voters. whichever way YOU feel
I disposed TO view ~ amount TO s2. .,so.-
s55.II of which s2f.56l.7 .7ea.o3 or more
than onc-half is for educational pur-
poses. according to tho figures OF tho
b state tax commission, and Of this total
! tstaseerinE in its proportionsl, the
rum for state purposes is between ono
sixth and ore-sevcnth. so that IT is
; evident that tho people right at home,
for city. county. village and school
; purposes, are spending nearly i've
! times rs much they arc called upon
/ to contribute to meet tho needs OF the
.ias. a.n.l.l.L-