Imperial Valley press., 1930-06-26
CANDIDATE FOR
GOVERNOR PAYS
HURRIED VISIT

Scathing arraignment Of what he
classed as the dilatory tactics of the
present administration in coping
with vital state problems was made
here yesterday by Buron Fits, Re-
publican candidate for governor.
Fits, delivering the fourth of six
addresses made by him in the Im-
perial Valley Wednesday, declared
that unless a program of aggressive
action is adopted Immediately the
state of California soon will find
itself facing a financial crises.
In his address through Imperial
county, Fits discussions covered q
wide range of subjects embracing
practically every issue of the pres
ent gubernatorial campaign. Ac-
companied by supporters, Fits be-
gan his tour of the county at q
o clock, speaking at Holtville, then
delivering two addresses at Calexi-
co before noon.
The major meeting of the day was
held here and followed by a special
conference at Brawley at p. nj.
At 1880 another meeting was held
in honor of Fits at Brawley.
Playing expenditures during the
biennium, Fits declared:
"There has been an orgy of spend
ing at Sacramento in the last four
years and the cost of government is
increasing out of all proportion to
our growth in population or assessed
valuation. During the present bien-
mum the state is spending total
of $244 100000, and the total for the
two bienniums during WI ic Ii
Governor Young has been at
the helm comes to more than $780,
100000, an increase over the total
expenditures by the state during the
four years of Governor YOung's
predecessor of more than $13S,000,
900.
'This is staggering increase
and it is no wonder that with the
single exception of Nevada, where
a large state and its agencies must
be supported by comparatively
small population, California leads
the nation in the amount of tax col
lections per capita. Here in Califor
MIA we are paying $7S.l6 per capita,
according to a recent survey, and
the tax burden has reached the point
where the average family of five il
today contributing $72 month to-
ward government in taxes.'
Discusses Corporation Tax
Discussing the bank and business
corporation tax bill of 1929, Fits
said:
"This bill, remember, was de-
signed to remove inequalities in our
system of taxation, but the distribu-
ton of the tax burden is as unjust
as ever. Some corporations still
pay not enough, others more than
their share, but the sad part of the
present arrangement, which is with !
out rhyme or reason, is that some |
of the big fellows escape with a +.
payment of $25 year, while the !
little fellows are hit harder than
ever
"The tax commission said in its
final report: 'The average business
corporation with an income of less !
than $4,000 pays more than four
times as much in taxes, in proper
tion to its income, as the corpora
ton with an income of 81 ,000,0
or more. The divergence is not so
great among the banks, but the
small banks pay, on the average, 40 |
per cent more than the large ones. "
"The commission found that one |
fourth of the business and financial |
corporations with incomes under |
$4,000 were paying tax of more
than 16 per cent, but that only one !
business corporation with an income
in excess of 100000 paid tax
of more than 16 per cent. Now how
was that situation improved by the
tax law enacted at the behest of the |
state administration at the last legis
lature? One particular corporation
in the million dollar class, to cite a
typical example, was assessed more
than $350,000 in state taxes in 1923
and last year paid only $25.'
Touching on the teachers retire
ment salary law, Fits declared
Governor Young had written TO the
Senate finance committee opposing
its amendment and yet declaring
the law unsound.
"lf the present law is unsound, ,"
he said, "then no time should be
lost in changing it. Governor
Young went into office four years
ago on a claim that he was ideally
fitted for the job by virtue of 20
years of experience in the legisla-
ture, and yet four years have passed
without anything being done about
a law he declared is unsound, law
which has a direct bearing on
the security and comfort of thou
sands of our school teachers.
Fits lauded the service performed
by public school teachers, declaring
they were entitled to some assur-
anee of protection from want in
their old age and pointed out that
funds TO finance retirement salaries
could be had if the state govern
ishly."