The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-09-21
Tax Retrenchment Subject
of Talk at Press Meeting
CONTINUED from page u

through the lessening Of legislative
appropriations.
II boards of county commissioners
city and town boards of education
were compelled under penalty to pub
fish lists of expenditures, and to
whom made and for what purpose, in
most instances a great saving would
be made.
Hundreds of thousands OF dollars
are annually expended In Utah which
would be saved II the names of the
recipients and the nature OF the deals
to which they are parties were made
public. AS a matter of fact the public
has no idea for what purpose the tax
money is expended other than in a
general way.
Utah is essentially q farming and
range state; that Is to say, most OF
her people live close to and till the
soil, All their property Is tangible and
every acre of land 10 assessed for
taxation while a vast amount Of per.
sonal property. loans, mortgages,
salaries and cash. escapes taxation al.
together and always will, no matter
Year in and year out the farmer
works longer hours and receives less
for his efforts than any other class OF
our citizens and proportionately he
pays more taxes. Whatever else the
farmer may be charged with he can
never be classed as tax dodger. To
day the farmer has TO cut his ekpendi.
lures to provide for hts tax money or
he will be put out OF house and home
This being true, why should not the
state institutions and commissions be
compelled to cut their expenditures
The manner of handling delinquent
taxes in Utah is another factorin our
excessive taxation. Under the law,
or the ruling in vogue in this state,
the counties carry the delinquent
taxes.
In most states. property on which
the tax has not been paid 10 sold for
the delinquent tax on the day and
date set forth IN the tax sale adver-
tisement. In Utah II Is the rule not
70 allow others than those interested
In the property to pay the prop
erty tax. There is time for
redemption as In all states, but
by the plan IN force in most states, |
the tax money is fully paid in cash |
and is available for public purposes.
In Utah the people carry the bur.
den and are taxed, ultimately, an ad-
ditional amount equal to the delin-
quent tax carried by the county. For
example, II the county In which Rich.
field is located Is carrying $4,000 in
delinquent taxes ON its books at the
time the tax levy Is made, II will be |
necessary for the county commission
erS to levy a tax to cover that deficit. ,
As | understand this question. the
counties have to pay that part OF the Q
AK which goes to the state In cash no c
natter how long II remains unpaid to I
he county. According to the books
II the state auditors office on August
II. the present year, the amount oil
delinquent tax which the counties '
wed the state was s192.6629S. and II
$ probable that the total delinquent
county and school
Idded TO this amount would bring the
otal to more than $4,000. Taxes
ave already been levied to cover this
Ieficit.
In conclusion. l want to say that |
10 not desire to inject politics into
his question. In the last analysis we
must admit that political parties and
he people themselves are alone TO
blame for the conditions which con
ront us, but there must be a halt.
rhe people must not be asked for