San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-19
STILL TIME TO TURN BACK

STILL TIME TO TURN BACK
Although the Texas Legislature, by
adiourning the special session one hour
after it was convened, put itself in the
position of horse led unwillingly to
water, the chances are that it will drink
and rafferty, deeply, when next breaches
the trough. The taxpayers can get little
comfort OUT of the fact that the bill levy
ing tax on the gross production OF
sulphur was the only revenue measure
finally enacted by the Thirty-eighth
Legislature during the recent regular
session. That this was the extent Of the
lawmakers reach into the pockets of
property owners does not mean that
they will go no farther at the next
session. They were disposed to increase
the production tax on crude oil, and
failed to do SO only because they could
not agree on the amount of the in
crease. Apparently the majority also
favored the taxing of gasoline, but the
bill which provided for the raising of
revenue in that way seemed to lack
expert guidance.
The main fact of the entire situation.
now that the legislators have returned
to their homes, is that another trip to
Austin is on the cards--a trip for pre-
cisely the same object as the governor
had in view when he called the first
special session.
What will the senator's and rcpresen-
tattves do about the states financial con-
dition when. month or so hence, they
are called back to their desks in the
Capitol? One might change this ques-
ton to make it read, "What can they
do?''
Tine latter is fair question. After
reading statement Of the state GOV
ernment's financial condition one might
say that there is nothing the legislators
can do about it except enact r1ore rev.
enue laws. But that would be a super
ficial view of the situation. 1t is 1uite
true that the state is facing a large de-
ficit. But why? The Thirty-eighth
Legislature itself has contributed to-
ward this condition. By making appio-
priations that were not vitality necessary
it has increased the gap between IN
come and outgo.
The state Board OF Control reported
that an income of approximately $780,
100000 could be expected under the ex-
isting tax laws, and that the states
expenses, exclusive of special apropria-
tons which the Legislature might make.
would be about S30,0O0.OOO
Instead OF making no special appro-
priations the Legislature seem to accept
the boards report as a signal to spend
money as though the supply were mex
haustiblc. Bue if the damage is already
done. one might inquire, how could the
Legislature mend matters at the next
special session?
Additional special appropriations are
being talked of. There is no way of cal
culating how great the total deficiency
will be, because the lawmakers are not
through spending money.
One thing they could do to mend mat.
tiers would be to make no more appro-
priations that are not vitality necessary.
Another way would be to procure
exact information concerning the indus
tries they propose to tax. and then fix
the rate accordingly. Authors OF some
OF the revenue measures introduced in
the regular session were utterly igno-
rant as to the total production OF the
commodities which they would tax, and
consequently could not make even III,
Intelligent guess at the total revenue
thcir bills, if enacted into laws, would
raise
The people would put up with high
taxes intelligently levied. But when the
men who make the tax rates md say
who and what shall be taxed are as igno-
rant as the authors of some of the
revenue measures offered in the recent
session of the Texas Legislature showed
themselves to be. the time Tor a new
reckoning cannot be far distant.