, 1925-02-03
Taxes and More Taxes

The state of Utah has a gasoline tax increase problem of
its own. 1t is proposed to increase the Utah tax from two and
a half to three and a half cents a gallon. Utah in the first in
stance levied a higher tax than was first put on in this state,
but the game works identical in both states, which is to say
the suggestion to increase the tax always comes to the front
from some source. The situation in Utah and Wyoming is paral
lei. Here it is the highway commission that wants the tax
increase for the purpose of maintaining. Six hundred thousand
dollars is the amount to be realized, if the legislative bill is
passed. 1t is said by the highway department in its propa-
gands that only one third of the road building projected has
been completed. If this is the fact and this department now
demands 100000 for upkeep of the one third of the program,
and the gasoline tax is to be three cents; when the entire
and the gasoline tax can be not less than nine cents a gallon.
1t ii a simple mathematical calculation.
The Tribune has said before and it repeats now, that the
taxpayers need expect nothing less than several more cam
paigns for increase of gasoline tax, if the present campaign
for increase from one to three cents is successful. All the high
way department wants is more money out of the taxpayers in
order to build more roads in order to hold jobs Ind draw pay
for the organization Not once does the highway commission
suggest a stoppage of its building activities in order to take
stock and determine what will be a wise course to pursue in the
future On no. the commission thinks OF nothing else than going
ahead. If we have spent on the roads already built, which is
the other two thirds of the program is completed the people
will have expended something above ~sS306oOoo for roads.
Roads are desirable, but isn't that amount of money more than
the people can afford to invest in roads in so brief a time as
ten years? Added to this vast sum the annual upkeep, now
100000 and at the time of the programs completion, ~$1yS00,0Oo,
all of which must come out of the pockets of the people, all
we can say in the circumstances is, that the people Of wyoming
will have to be mighty prosperous in order to meet their tax
bills. 1t looks like the legislature will have TO call a halt oil
the highway department, and repudiate the demand for a three
cent gasoline tax, simply to keep the highway department from
running away with the earnings of the people.
While there is little comfort in reviewing the Utah situa-
ton, which is now deeply agitating the people of that state,
we are giving below an extract from the Salt Lake Telegram,
all of which applies exactly to the Wyoming situation. Here
it is:
Before the gasoline tax was adopted in Utah, the motor.
their automobiles, in addition to the regular property taxes
levied by the taxing units, every two years. With the adoption
of the gasoline tax and the reduction of the license fee, the
total biennial collections from the motorists jumped to $2059,
go, a net increase of $s71,1s2. With an increasing number of
cars each year, this figure, under the present tax of two and
one-half CENTS a gallon, will grow in the measure that the
people OF the state prosper.
Now, however, it appears to certain legislators that this
process of natural growth is too slow and it is proposed to add
another cent to the gasoline tax, exacting three and onehalf
cents for every gallon of gas used by the motorists, instead of
two and onehalf, Judged from the experience of the first two
crease of Sl353s2 in the amount OF money collected by the state
from the motorists each biennium, or an amount in excess of
S2O0N0 a year.
If we pause to compare the contemplated collections with
the collections prevailing before the adoption of the gasoline
tax we Will find that the increase is in excess of half a million
dollars a year. In other words, the proposed legislation would
compel the motorists to pay S1,306,562 more in the next bien
mum than they paid in the biennium preceding the adoption
of the gasoline tax, which is moro than twice the amount of
all motor fees collected in 1919 and 1920.
The motorists seem to be the prey of designing tax author
tiles. Nevertheless, the proposed legislation can appear in no
other light than class taxation of the rankest sort, which
eventually will react against the best interests of the state.
automobiles, it appears 10 be up to the automobile owners to
save themselves. No doubt, this form of taxation is based on
the theory that automobiles are more or less of a luxury, APP
peiring IN the form of a state-imposed penalty for individual
progress. The fact remains, however, that automobiles have
become a necessity in many lines of human activity. To impose
efforts and general progress. The increase in the gasoline tax
should be defeated, but IL is doubtful If II will, unless the
automobile owners Of the state rise in their own defense.