The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-02-15
TAXPAYERS, IT IS YOUR MOVE

TAXPAYERS, YOUR MOVE
IF YOU think the excellent work of the Grand Jury
that required that have
bled with and suandered the the taxes
produced, you have another think coming.
For several weeks a small but determined body
of have fought against completing the fraudu
lent deal whereby Gunnson county buying the west
so feet of the Eastman garage.
Gradually the investigation proceeds evidence
the character of that contract is disclosed
An investigation Of the taxable value of the building
brings to light the fact that the whole structure is taxed
$7400 and the so feet, the old part tofhs of
the property is attempted be sold to the county for
$1,000 Look your valuations and you have
property assessed for oethrd its value? Note that
under the proposed deal the county gets only half in
terest in the division wall
Measurements taken this week indicate that the
county gets only interest in the north WALL that
occupies ground lot No. 8, part of which is
veyed to the county, while the roof potrudes about 16
inches farther lot g. making legal trespass of
about 20 inches ground not conveyed.
Touching the legality of the levy and the appropria
ton, the letter printed below from the State Tax Com
mission will show that all is satisfactory to that
body and they evidently desire that proceedings be held
up time until full and complete investigation may
be had.
Board of County Commissioners,
Gunnison County,
Gunnison Colorado
granting application for increased county taxes last
You will remember that we were in grave doubt
about the advsability of this the time you
took the matter up with u.s. that we
abeyance time and finally at the very earn
est insistence of your Chairman, Mr.. W. H. Whalen
We are now advised that we were not only Wrong in
granting this application but that there have been
history appear very questonable-to say the least.
full are Of e a % ens or to the
expenditures of of the in questonat least
until full investigation of the entire situation be
made.
Before taking any formal action upon these requests
general situation appertanng your proposed handling
Of county your
regard to alleged attempt to purchase certain real
tate to be used for garage other purposes
1t is alleged that you have attempted to purchase
particular piece of the Town of Gunn
at price which said to be from two to three times
that bee to not is
within the of good business judgment and the law
to purchase said property at all
We will appreciate an early and full explanation
from your Board
In the meantime, may ask YOU in fairness to
yourselves, the taxpayers your county,
concerned to defer further action the purchase of
thoroughly Investigated?
1t is alleged that you have already gone the
of authorizing the issuance of county for the
purchase of said property but that have consented
hold said until the situation be cleared We
pleased that you have yielded this extent
and trust that said warrant will be held until nvest
should it be impossible justify the situation,
that will promptly join in retracting what has been
DONE
We sending copies of this letter to your County
as0
half of certain Taxpayers the hope that further
steps will be taken until after suitable Investigation
especially the that said County Clerk will
deliver said and if he should do So that the
Treasurer of Gunnison County will not register
until further authority is granted
Yours very truly,
COLORADO TAX COMMISSION,
By C. p Link
But the matter is not all that concerns the
taxpayers The Grand Jury only indicted the Com
missiones and County Clerk, but they called
to the fact that something $4,000 of msappropriaed
moneys might be recovered from them individually by
civil suits These suits must be brought sometime and
the begun the better for the public interest And
this brings to the real subject matter Of this article
The Taxpayers Association needs members 1t is
not fair decent shunt off all the work the
willing who have taken the lead. Exery taxpayer
who feels interest in the of funds wrongfuy
TAKEN and the punishment of unfaithfu officials should
W. T. Hartman at and find how he be
useful.
Remember that taxation be reduced except
what belongs to the people and discontinue
wrong expenditure of what little is left
Touching the injunction matter again, let remind
readers that they put faith whatever
ments published in the News-Champion special organ
and apologist for the indicted commissioners That pa
has been direct beneficiary of the dishonesty
the administration and feels in duty bound defend
them. Even when thrown in the discard official
county paper it feels that it still get pickings
from he ntv hrSno he fact hat Dr 7 crI