Gunnison news-champion. [volume] (Gunnison, Colo.) 1905-1932, 1923-04-06

and consequently add greater cost to
the taxpayer.
s. We hear of the wonderful roads
in states like California, Pennsylvania
and New York, and hope that Colora-
do will be able to proportionately do
her share towards the building and up
keep Of proper roads across the noun
tains to connect up the farming dis
tnets of the state with the main high
ways. Good roads are next in inn
portance to the railroads for the pro-
Queer who desires to- get his produce
to market, just as il is TO the tourist
and the business man. All the great
countries of the world have built up
their roads. both for commerce in
times Of peace and for transportation
of war materials in times of war.
Colorado is following along with these
very states in its endeavor to build
up its highways.
have been, since the beginning of
the session. in favor Of the repeal of
the 1-mill levy for roads, which was
added in 1919 As . temporary levy inn
mediately following the war. This re-
peal in itself would save $3.50, 900 per
year in taxes, or almost as much as
the saving would be If We eliminate
this whole IL per cent, which is used
for executive, Legislative, judicial and
other departments Of state govern
ment Should this be done, however,
am Of the opinion, that we should
add another one cent tax on gasoline
which would replace for our roads the
amount that would be taken away as
q property tax, leaving il to the man
with car who actually uses the roads
to pay in proportion for the benefits
he receives from these roads and
thus relieving the taxpayer.
In brief. few who actually stop to
think wish to hinder Colorado's ad-
vancement along educational lines or
the continuance of better roads to
market. l hope that l have demonstr-
ated that, as stated in the report BY
the Committee appointed by the Dem
yer Civic and Commercial Association,
the saving in any code bill SO far rs
administrative cost is concerned, is
bound to be small and not of appreci-
able notice on the tax schedule.
What then, is the solution of this
puzzling tax problem? To me there
is but one answer, and that is a tax
on intangibles or the purpose, not Of
raising more money to spend but for
the purpose Of reducing property tax.
Statistics show that in Colorado today
9Sa per cent of all taxes paid for
city, county and state purposes are
assessed on tangible property. Is this
fair? Should not these intangibles
whose owners receive the benefit of
the money spent for schools, roads,
police and fire protection and the bene-
fit Of municipal, county and state gov
eminent, pay their proportionate
share? They pay an income tax to
the federal government but nothing to
the state. Under our present condition
in Colorado, the man who may receive
salary of $25, 900 to $4,000 per
year, or who receives large sums of
money as result Of investments in
stocks, bonds, etc, does not pay his
proportionate share for the up-keep of
his state, county or city rs does the
man who owns ranch, cattle or city
property.
The following is quoted from a|let-
ter written me by Ex-Governor Her.
bert s. Hadley, formerly Of Missouri,
now of the School of Law of the Uni
versity Of Colorado:
1.-THE idea that we haven't here
in Colorado enough wealth to meet
all our proposed expenses Of gov
eminent without unduly burdening
any citizen, Is all wrong. The
people Of Colorado paid in 1921
over $25J O00. 900 to the federal
government in income taxes.
This was more than was paid by
the people Of Kentucky, almost
twice as much As was paid by the
people Of Nebraska, $4,000, 900
more than was paid by the people
by the people Of Oklahoma, or
Oregon, asd almost as much as
was paid by the people Of Iowa,
Kansas or Washington. While /
question whether the wealth Of
Colorado is as evenly distributed
as in any Of these other states, It
is here and the problem for the
legislature to deal with is to see
that all wealth shares its just
burden Of taxation. This II does
not do now. The man Of moder-
ate means, the farmer, the merch-
ant, the stock raiser, the home
and real estate owners, and the
public utilities all Of whose prop
erty is fully assessed and taxed,
pay their portion and in addition,
they pay the taxes Of those whose
property is not now assessed and
taxed. The way to reach, the only
way to reach effectively this un-
assessed and untaxed wealth, as
the experience Of other states and
countries has clearly shown, Is
through the income tax law.
"ln response to your request
for specific suggestions, I would
enact straight income tax law,
imposing . tax Of two per cent
with such exemptions as are usual,
with further deduction for taxed
paid on tangible property. This
would make certain that the
burden Of the already overburden-