The Winslow mail., 1923-02-23

~ -
range The whole question of state
finances came under consideration,
which led further down into the fun
damental causes for the present de-
plorable state of affairs in the state,
which resulted in several senators
attempting an analysis of the reasons
ted remedies, and others recommended
| ed remedies, and others recommended
! further diagnosis Of the case before
! attempting a cure The bill under
discussion provides for raising the
| interest on registered state warrants
from per cent to 51a per cent, and
for registering the maturity date,
! not over six months in advance, on
| the back of the warrant.
! After listening to the oratory for
some time, Sen. Sims arose to remark
that it was very favorable sign, as
/ in many sessions of the senate which
he had attended, it was the first time
/ he had ever heard a general discus
sion of the financial affairs of the
state in the senate Senator Sims
| said the whole trouble might be sum-
med up in the statement that the
state had been spending more than
was necessary. He said the beginning
! of our downfall financially in state
affairs began with the enactment of
! the law allowing the taxpayers to
pay their taxes in semi-annual pay
ments, instead of in one lump, which
/ he claimed resulted in the state being
/ broke for three months of every year.
Constantly increasing appropriations
| by the legislature and the bonded in
| debtedness of the state and it's sub
divisions, amounting to $4,000 900
per annum interest is paid, also was
classified by the senator as burden
staggering for the taxpayers to bear.
/ Sen Sims saw no other way out Of
/ the quogmire of state financial po-
verty other than to submit constitu-
tional amendment for the voting of
| approximately four millions of dol
! lars to pay up the present indebted
ness of the state to be followed by a
period during which expenses would
be cut down to the irreducible min
imum while the state paid off its
bonded Indebtedness, or new system
Of handling state warrants. Sen.
Sims also urged that the fiscal year
and the tax-collection year should
be made. identical. The discussion
had also widened out into the affairs
of the state highway department, and
| the senator warned his colleagues
| that any senator who attempted to
cut down road or school appropria-
tions or fuss up the methods of col
! lecting taxes, would commit political
hari-kari.
] 1t was a gloomy outlook for us all
| presented in the many speeches 81
/ the financial affairs of the state.
Sen. Cornick, first spread the black
mantle of gloom over the senate
chamber by a speech, during which,
/ he did not use the term, he ''poinye
| with alarm" on many occasions.
/ The state of Arizona is broke and
bankrupt We have been living in a
fools paradise of extravaganza for
the past four years of the Republi-
can administration. The day of final
!ecknOning approaches. We have had
| all kinds of suggestions for the aid of
delinquent taxpayers. There are
twelve thousand farmers in Maricopa
County alone who are unable to pay
their back taxes. The increasing of
taxes which cannot, be paid or col
lected, will not solve the problem.
Federal taxes were approximately
/ $500 per capita before the war, and
are now around $4,000 per capita.
! Other taxes which amounted to SIT
per capita before the war, now reach
$37 per capita. 'These and more,
many more, were the cheerful and
cheering thoughts expressed by the
senator from Yavapai, prior to his
! announcement that a constitutional
amendment to authorize the issuance
of four millions of dollars in bonds to
pay the debts of the state, loomed in
the altering.
Sen. Claypool in his talk stated
that while he understood the wording
meaning and purposes of the bill un-
der discussion, he seriously question
ed whether raising the tax rate on
state warrants would effect a per-
manent solution of the problem of
state finances. Would it hold, eth
er, to vote bonds to square up the
debts of the state, if the conditions
which have placed us where we are,
should be allowed to continue?"
questioned the senator att is the
moral obligation of the citizens of the
state of Arizona, to wake up to what
/ udS OCSA SOtAS OA1y d1u SSS W II ina
they do not continue to be double
crossed. The only remaining great
resource of the state, which is not
'sewed up is the Colorado River" he
concluded
limitations and deflation of credits
are largely prem editated" stated Sen.
Golfer. State regulation must in
tervene to the end that the producer
and the Independents may get great
er credit consideration. The banks
show great favoritism in extending
credit almost exclusively to the clas-
ses engaged in a population. Reduc-
ing the taxes will not permanently
solve the problem. The state must
get down to a consideration of fun
/ damental principles. The farmer,
the stockmen, the producer must have
relief"
Sen Rutherford, in a scathing de-
nunciation of alleged extravagances
of the prior Republican administra-