The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-05-01
VOTERS!
STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN!
By TAXPAYER AND GASOLINE USER

Moore, Fergus County, Montana.
The Montana Automobile Association of Helena,
is sending out lot of stuff, both to private ind
viduals by mall and by having it printed in vari-
Gus newspapers of the state, in regard to Refer
endum Measure No. IS, to be voted on May 5th
After having carefully read all this stuff, 1 am
led to wonder if that Association is wholly phil
anthrOpc organization, whether it has one
more "axes to grind" This stuff, as it has come
to me, three good sized type written pages,
divided into II paragraphs 1t makes lot of as
sertions but offers no proof as to their truthful
ness and after the majority of them, there can.
iegitimately, be placed very large question mark
Along with this stuff there are the opinions fla
vorabe of course,) of Gov. Erickson, Lieut.. Gov
Hazelbaker, and Congressman Scott Leavitt. I
have understood that Attorney General Foot has
also given it his approval EDITORS Note Foot
has not given measure his approval) So much
SO good. But as over against the opinions of these
eminent men, there be placed the opinions of
an equal number of men, equally wise, equally as
conscientious, and fully as able opponents of the
law, they are. But this question is not to be
settled by the opinions of few men, howsoever
eminent. Along with what we have referred to,
there is also a sheet of figures which suppose
intended to prove something but what? But,
all of this aside, let us get at some facts. For
facts, not opinions, count
FACT ONE: We have now in Montana five
cent per gallon tax on gasoline, with draw back
or refund, which, by act of our recent legislat-
ure, is extended to 1941 (See House Bill No. 9O)
FACT TWO: In the statement which presents
this referendum to us, and which will appear on
the ballots, we find the following language among
much other: providing for the repayment of both
md on md
pledging and setting aside sufficient amount of
said excise or license tax on gasoline or Motor
Fuels Emphasis mine) to pay the same from the
State Highway Treasury Debenture Redemption
Fund HEREIN CREATED" Emphasis mine)-
providing for the CREATION of a liability bind
ing the State of Montana not to reduce the license
tax on gasoline or Motor Fuels until after accru-
al of sufficient monies to pay the said debentures
! and interest" The word "create" means etc
bring into existence" AS the present existing Law
taxing gasoline was CREATED or "brot into ex
istence," previous to this debenture pan the words
"herein created" can not refer to that which wa.
previously created but only to that which is Great
ed, by this referendum measure No. S. To argu
otherwise is to try 10 make language contradic
itself. Or, in other words, is pure nonsense
Therefore this referendum measure No 35 doe
CREATE an additional cent per gallon tax OF
"gasoline motor fuels" It also CREATES
NON+REDUCIBLE LICENSE TAX LIABILITY
against the State of Montana, till "said debenture
and interest are paid" How long that may be n
one certainly say For the law, if this ref
eredum carries, will contain the words "till sal
debentures and interest are paid"
FACT THREE: Furthermore, this referendul
measure is so drawn that it is "IRREPEALABL
until all of said debentures and the interest to az
crue thereon, hall have been fully paid"
So it will be well for voters to face these thre
facts.
CREATE Second, is IRREPEALABLE. Thir
the license tax liability is nonreducible until sa
debentures and interest are FULLY paid
Also while this measure does speak of the pa
ment drawbacks or refund in one place. yet
does not designate what "Draw backs or refunds
meant. And as this referendum measure N
So does not CREATE any Drawbacks or refund
it is little hard to see how that part Of it c.
refer to that which the measure itself does n
CREATE, tho, of course it could refer to those
ready created.
Again it is claimed that the State Board
Equalization, which has TT ! With the collect
of this gasoline tax, has e would n
collect an extra five cent taA. ekat
fine as far as it goes, but the v4oube is, it do
not go far enough. For it cannot 90 beyond t
political life Of the present board And as
have an election in Montana every two years. g