Pueblo chieftain., 1922-03-08

1ActB, TO tno onQ tnAt VIC may arrive ~
the why's and wherefores OF this sub
ject that we hear discussed so often
without regard to the facts, and often
with the evident idea in view Of "pass-
ing the buck" TO tho other fellow"
Let us first perceive and absorb the
fact that We are all responsible for
whatever increases in taxation. state
and local. are brought to light when
W. w1lk UP to the county treasurer's
office and make our annual or semi
annual "ante" to the public excheauer
Tho first and foremost tax-levyins
power IN the State Of Colorado 10 the
people themselves. The second il tho
peoples duly-electcd representative
body DESIGNATED the General As
ssmbly. which generally attempts to
respond to the pulse beats OF tho SOW
ereisn people and be mindful Of their
interests. The third and final levy
ing body in the state board OF equan-
zation. aided and advised by the state
tax commission. which latter body
fixes certain values not fiNable by
the individual county assessors ana
which has the authority to revise, re
duce or increase tho assessments
made by tho aforementioned indivi-
Every tax-fixinE authority In tho
state Ia held to certain limits as to the
amount Of levies to be made. but not
20 the people themselves, whose au-
thority Ia unlimited.
Previous to November. 1920. the
levy for state purposes was limited
"a the nj ximum of 4 mills. ana up TO
that time the hoard of equalization
and tho legislative bodies kept reiisi-
ously within that limit. Then aionk
came well-orsanized propaganda
vigorously asserting and Insisting tnAt
the educational institutional OF tine
state were suffering from lack OF fund:
to properly function. and the sooa
people of Colorado. progressive. lin.
erai and kind-hearted, said: AZ,
right, let's raise the limit to mills.
and by \ vote of 16O,sss to o-,s4$
rie said. Amen: let's do that" And
the fwen,y-third General Assembly,
acting In obedience to that vote OF tho
p.opie (for they considered such
majority a command), proceeded 20
and did increase the mill levy by INC
aggregate OF = Of mill for the state
educational Institutions. including the
medical school for tn" university,
which was a OF a mill less than the
increase authorized by the peoples
vote.
Then at the same election tho mat
ter Of the establishment and cons'ruc-
ton OF a psychopathic hospital was
submitted to the people. II was PLAIN
w stated stated that this new institu-
ton would cost s35o.ooo. aud the dear
p~oplc Il nm not using that term IN
. sarcastic manner. NJ alll. aonWihk
the euphoniousnees OF that word.
.psychopsthic." and very few OF them
spprec!atink what the term Means
nut I, was a sweet sounding WORD.
anyway-said: "All right let's have
that 'psychopathic' hospital whatever
II may be" and they said !, by the
vote of $500 ayes TO a0..95 noes.
majority OF 1o+,75+ or three votes Tor
20
And thcn, at the snrnc election the
rood roads boosters got in their work
and proposed tha; the people bono
theu,selve. for Ss.ooo.ooo ns part OF
the states share for constructing hisn-
WAYS, and the good people or Colo
rado, Wy a vote OF l0o,l3o ayes TO ~
IS, noes. majority OF se.133, said;
"All rlsht were rich and prosperous.
,srs otllrate ourselves 10 the tune
~ IS 900 600 for good roads Ana
mn 10 thi. time Se.ooo.o0o OF those
bonds have been issued ana floated ahu
rcposo In the strong boxes OF thosn
sbie to carry them. and are drawins
Interest; which must be paid by inc
Same d~ar peoplc until tho first pay
men, on the bonds - made and even
until tho last payment thereon. for the
r.oplc OF Colorado will not rcpudiato
.h-ir obligations.
L.. mo relate hero, parcnthctlcally.
one Of the assessors at the stntc house
recently. he remarked. You Repub-
i,cn1S did that and he said II with
r,,l knowledge OF the fact that mo
h!xhes. majority cast for any Rcpup-
ncan stat. officer In 1880 was 6f
900. while the majority tor th' ~
creased mill lew for educational pur-
poses was ioT.ast and that for tho
prvche pathic hospital was loi.T5i.
Now these state lovics mnde d.
recently BY the rrople-sabo.o 600 for
. p.ychopathic hospital and $4,000
,n.~rcp. on highway bonds, together
With 100000 voted by the Lcgis'H-
.urc &c met n deficiency ut the state
university and several other appro-
pria;ion. 20 meet deficiencies NJ other
ssatp institution. must he paid ou'
oS tho GO cral revenues OF tho state.
Tho min levy fixed by the state board
~ equalization for general state nur-
noses for taxes OF 1920 was 0.5si0o
and tn. levy for 1921 (thr taxes We
nrc paying this ysar) was o.siS55, an
increase OF n.o3iis. or about y
hundrodths Of a mill. which. IN plain
figures means n levy Of sa2s1i6.5l
for 1920 and Sa7s.Ist ~ for 1921, OF
an Increase Of ssT.Ats.Oi which Is tho
extent OF the so-called "extravnrsnca"
os the present state administration
when it comes to the matter Of gen.
eral state taxes for general state pur-
poses.
Naturally the question arises. In
view OF the above statement OF facts.
n the mill levy for general state pur-
poses was trcrenscd to tho extent OF
only s45Asso1. how in the world 4.
tho state going TO meet the cost OF
the usychopaihic hospital. pay the
university deficiency md the other
deficiencies provided for by legisla-
five enactment Tho answer II this:
Fortunately for the state, and unfort-
unatc,y. In most instances, for be-
reavcd families. citizens OF srcster or
lesser wealth are constantly dying.
and in conseauenc" OF deaths nus ~
during this blenniun,, about 100000
has been secured hy tn. Inheritance
tax department OF the state and plaeed
IN the general fund of the treasury.
Then tho insurance department has