, 1927-01-19
wYoMING's SOLDIER BONUS

During the present session of the legislature there will in all
probability come before the solons a bill providing for the repeal
of the present taxexemption bonus now being received by many
of the veterans of the World War, and for the passage of a bill
which will provide for a cash bonus to be paid the veterans at
this time. There is considerable interest being taken in the new
bonus bill, and the Legion posts of Wyoming will be expected to
signify their approval or disapproval of the proposed legislation
1t may be very hard for a person who is not a World War
veteran to get the same slant at the bonus as the one who is,
but certainly the present system of rewarding the ex-soldier
boy has never met with favorable consideration by the
average business man. The present tax-exemptlon bonus is
neither fair to the ex-sodier nor to the government of the
state. Through its operation only a portion of our soldier
boys receive any good from. the present law. If one of them
has been fortunate enough to accumulate a little of this worlds
goods. he is exempt for taxation up to a $4,000 valuation. If
he has no property. nor no n has ASSIGNED to him that he
may save taxes on same, he receives not one cent.
Both of the boys may have given equal service. One of
them lives in the country where he would pay a much lower tax
than the fellow in the city. They both share, not in the same
amount of tax, but only on equal valuation. Is there anything
fair in this method of a bonus?
Is it fair to the government of the state of Wyoming to
mortgage the future taxes of the state for a bonus. We now
grant exemptions to Civil war, spanish-Amercan war and World
war veterans. Should this nation have a series of wars within
the next twenty-five years, and did likewise with the veterans
of those wars, where wiud our taxation system be-? There is
positively nothing businesslike in the tax-exemption bonus. If
the state wishes to pay bonus, and we earnestly believe that
nothing which the state can do will repay even in a small way,
these young men for their service, then pay the debt now. Pay
it viii a bond issue or in any other practical manner. but get it
paid, and not mortgage the taxes of the state for the next fifty
years.
According to the county assessor there is more than $4,000
worth of property exempt from taxation on the Powell flat alone.
There is probably as much or more in the west half of the
county. There is an estimated 100000 worth of taxable
wealth in the state exempt from taxation.
Young men who enlisted in other states have come to the
state to receive this tax exemption privilege. They were paid
their cash bonuses in their home state, and yet they are continu-
ing to receive a bonus in Wyoming. A tax exemption of $1,000
in the town of Cody means about $4,000 annually. To the
young farmer without the municipality it probably means about
$50 or $35. Is this fair and equitable? Is it a fair deal to
the boys who served equally overseas? Is it fair to the fellow
who has had hard luck, and possibly has not accumulated any
property upon which to claim an exemption?
The Cody Enterprise does not think so. W. do not think
it is fair legislation to the soldier boy, nor fair to the state
government to have our taxes mortgaged. The war is over
We want to be good fellows and give the boys a bonus. Let's
give him a bonus and do it now, and not saddle the load onto
future generations.