The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-11-01
S0L0NS' POWER
CHANGE TAX
EFFECT GIVEN
State Tax Commissioner, il
Further Explanation of
Remarks Here
EFFECT OF THE LAW

{. {. Converse, state tax commits.
missioner, in statement today
further explaining remarks made in
speech here on the tax reduction
. law to be voted on next Tuesday
said:
81 notice that certain of my re-
marks made at the high school audi
tOrium on Tuesday night were quot
ed in news dispatch, and therefore
perhaps kshould correct a statement
carried in the dispatch concerning
the extent to which it would be pos
sible for the legislature to temper
the effect of the initiated measure by
majority vote. What l said is op-
en- to the inference that it would be
possible for the legislature, by a
majority vote, to increase the county
tuition tax, which is now one half
mill, and use the additional revenue
thus rerived in such way as to aid
such school districts as find their
operations crippled by the reduction
in the general tax levy.
Legislative Power
ut is true that the legislature
could by majority vote increase the
county tuition tax levy, but such ac-
tion would not, think, increase the
amount of money which school
boards could spend beyond the limit
set by the initiated measure because
of Section of the initiated law
which provides that, no board Shall
cause or permit expenditures to be
made or contracted for "in excess of
the amount that would be available
for expenditure upon collection of
the full amount Of the levies herein
provided for, plus any other moneys,
fees, fines, penalties, interest or in
come available under laws now in
force" Note particularly the words
under laws now in force" | doubt
if amending the county tuition tax
law, which is law now in force, so
as to increase it's yield of revenue
would, on account of the provision
just referred to, increase the amount
which school districts would be per-
mitted to spend. On the contrary,
the intention of the initiated mea-
sure seems to be that added revenue
from sources other than the direct
property tax shall not increase the
amount which public boards may
spend beyond an amount equal to
that which could be derived from the
direct property tax levy as limited
by the measure, plus income from
other sources at the rate now pro-
vided in existing laws.
One Exception
ITO this general statement there
is one exception. Section 7 of the
initiated measure leaves to the leg
islaturc unlimited authority to in
crease the tax upon petroleum pro-
ducts and to levy such taxes as t
sees fit upon luxuries and provides
that revenue received from these
two taxes may be permitted to in
crease the amount which boards may
spend. AS stated in my remarks at
he meeting of the League of Wo-
mems Voters, it would be possible
for the legislature, by majority vote,
to apportion the increased revenue
thus derived to counties, thus eli
minating the county tax for road
purposes, or it would be possible for
the legislature to provide that addi-
tional revenue from a tax upon pc
troleum products or upon luxuries
shall be devoted to school purposes
and thus increase the amount which
school boards would be permitted to
spend. In my remarks my aim was
to state as completely and as fairly
as could the arguments both for and
against the measure, believing that
those who. asked me to speak were
seeking information rather than ad-
vice."