The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-04-05
ROCKWELL LETTER NO. 10
Bv ROBERT F. ROCKWELL

the 80 per cent of 1la mill levy 1or
administrative purposes of the state
government may be divided into 21
per cent for the up-keep of our penal
and other institutions Of the state
and IA per cent for other admins
trative purposes. l discussed how
the 81 per cent is expended in last
weeks letter. This week I wish to
take up the other ID per cent.
This last IA per cent of 1897 GA,
to be exact, takes in the items that
Code bill endeavors to reach. AT the
outset one may see that we are try
| ing to cut our taxes at the point
where they are the smallest part OF
the cost of state government. Un-
| der this head of costs for admins
tration we have four divisions:
l. The state executive depart
ments, which, of course, include the
governor, secretary of State, attor-
ney general, ETC., cost approximately
S270,O00 per year.
2. The legislature, which costs ap-
proximately 100000 every two years
(because under the laws of Colorado
the legislature meets but once in
every two years.)
g. Our judicial department costs
approximately S173,Ooo per year.
a. The various other departments,
such as bank commissioner, state
land board, stock inspection board,
| industrial relation commission, civil
service commission, ETC., take up the
balance of the ID per cent.
In considering this, let US remem-
ber that from the banking commits
sion the state derives over $4,000 a
year; from the secretary of states
office there is collected over S226,000
per year; the insurance department
collects S45O,O0O per year; the inher-
itance tax department collects $780,
900 per year, etc. Many of these de-
partments bring more revenue into
the state several times over what
they actually cost the state.
If this entire cost of all state de-
partments, executive, legislative, ju-
dicial, etc, was abolished it would
amount to little more than one.
half mill or -thirtieth of the av-
erage total state tax in Colorado, or
it would amount to practically the
same as the repeal of the half-mill
levy for roads which is now before
| the legislature and which can be
made up if thought best by an addi-
tional tax of one cent on gasoline.
The burdens of the taxpayers OF
Colorado are not in the cost of sup
porting the state administration OF
| state departments but are found gen.
orally closer home, in the cost of our
schools, our roads, ETC., things that
we consider quite necessary in this
day and age. The state employees are
more poorly paid than salaried peo.
pie in most private enterprises. The
low salaries paid to state employees
with little chance OF promotion is
one reason why it is difficult to gel
efficient people into state Offices
One may ask at this point how ther
can the expenses of state govern.
ment be cut down without at the
same time interfering with our pres.
ent road and educational program
and can our property tax be reduced
To this question would reply some.
what as follows:
Give little more lee-way to the
departments of state in the hiring
of employees. For instance, instead OF
saying to each department you may
have so many clerks and stenogra.
pliers at so much per month, allow
them an amount less than the total
they are now paying for all of theil
stenographers and office force an6
tell them to hire the most efficient
persons in their department at sala.
ries commensurate with what they
can get working for private enter.
prises outside, but have less of them
Next, investigate the institutions
- A'ShSi iSoi ihhS III tfliS Sldte, W1tn
an idea of stopping so far as possible
duplication of work with its conse.
quent extra cost to the state; stor
all advertising for students outside
of Colorado who must be educ ated
at the expense of the taxpayers OF
Colorado, and do away with the effort
of one institution to get students
which would naturally go to anothe,
institution of higher learning. Let
the boy who wishes to take up engi.
neering go to the School of Mines
the student who wishes training along
agricultural lines to attend the apri.
cultural college, those who wish uni.
Verslty training to go to the Uni.
versity of Colorado, and those who
wish to become teachers go to the
Il