The Delta independent., 1923-03-30

We think the public exaggerates the
amount Of money which can be saved
by any readjustment by state admin
istrative agencies, and that regardless
of amount any such readjustment
stitional revision and can not be made
by legislative action.
It is on this last part OF the report
that I wish to enlarge upon and be-
lieve show the impossibility OF any
noticeable saving in taxes as the re-
suit OF any code bin which has for its
purpose cutting down OF administra-
tive cost for state government.
There is no doubt. great merit In
the effort to consolidate boards. bu-
reaus and departments which dupli-
cate one another's work. and there is
still more merit in eliminating those
which at more or less expense to the
tax payers do not function properly.
However. even the Lambert bill pass
es this session OF the legislature.
there can not hope to be any
noticeable difference in our tax
schedule. There will be greater cen
tralization OF authority and conse-
quently more efficient under the pro-
per elective officers. perhaps as great
as II is possible or desirable under our
present Civil Service and constitu-
tiona1 laws. and perhaps as great as
can be accomplished without a Con-
stitutional Convention. which. OF
course. would amount in expense to
something like a half million dollars,
but the saving in taxes will be negli-
gible.
In a letter several weeks ago
gave these figures which I wish to re-
peat, namely. that from the years 1915
to 1921 the increase in the total state
tax amounted to about s4.200.000 and
that OF this amount only 3.s per cent
was for administrative expenses.
made necessary by additional obliga-
tions OF the state. as against SO per
cent or s2.66s.623 to be exact for edu-
cational institutions and highway ex-
penses.
II is therefore very plain that II
there is to be any noticeable reduc-
tion in state taxes or county taxes It
must be along the reduction in the ex-
pcubtS Vi PuObS ayb anu euuIt-
tional institutions and am not pre-
pared to say that the people Of Coll.
RADIO at this time wish to go to this
extreme. To prove the statements
which have asked Mr.. C. A. Lem
mers the Budget and Efficiency FIX.
pert under Government Shoup to pre-
pare for me figures which would show
the cost OF the various educational
and penal institutions OF the state. the
highway department and the cost OF
administration within the state. The
following facts and figures are taken
from his letter to me in answer to my
request.
you asked me to itemize and ana
lyze the state mill levy OF 4.4s mills
or SAB taxes on every $1,000 OF valu-
alton and which produced $685., ,S07.-
65 for 1922 or the tax due and payable
in the present year OF our Lord
"Of this grand total $3.50, 9,936.42 or
40 per cent plus is for state educa-
tiona1 institutions. divided as follows:
State University ----$ 1862. .343.s2
Medical School --- 300. .72355
Agricultural College -332. .875.39
Experiment Station ----- 105.569.27
Ft. Lewis School --------- 69,2O7.73
School Of Mines ---------- 205.857.76
Teachers College --------- 332,S75.3 80
Gunnison Normal --------- 124.323.o5
School for Deaf and Blind 214,01s.9s
Buildings, at five education
al Institutions ---------- 463.191.5s
'Tn other words. little more than
two-fifths Of the total state taxes for
the state educational institutions.
"The state highway department re-
ceives $1,804,54238 which IA 25 per