Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1931-02-19
JAM ON TAX and
MOTOR FEES LOOMING

Hope tor Properly Tax Relief
Fades; Salary Budget Faces
Butcher Knife.
= State Institutions Face Cut =
Appropriations Converted to Other
uses - Provisions Of Sales Tax -
New Trl.state Motor Vehicle Code.
Olympia, Wash.-Legislativ accom-.
plishment, as It approaches the final
phase of the session, seemingly would
indicate that not much real tax relief
will be accomplished at this session
although the members of both houses
are doing everything possible to raise
the tax yoke from real property. To
many of the members 1t is beginning
to look as though tax and motor We.
hicle fund legislation will get into
such jam that the most experienced
political log.rollers will be unable to
dtslodge It.
Some members are going so far as
to even predict that Governor Hart.
ley, with a third term in mind, may
put 1t sin hole" by introducing an
entirely new set.up, which wouldn't
have ghost OF show of getting
xrrnNrh ~ &I,ig co,,you
OF twenty-five measures proposed
by the advisory tax commission, not
one has yet been agreed upon by both
houses, in form to be submitted to
the governor.
House bill II, the budget control
measure, has passed both houses, but
in such radically different forms that
conference is the only method OF
reaching an agreement. Two bills
have been definitely killed and mum.
Der of others are pending with hostile
committee reports.
Governor Hartley's program Of
twenty-five executive bills, submitted
somewhat later than the advisory
commission group, is further behind in
the process of enactment.
| Tax Measures Problem.
Dissension arose sharply last week
when the senate, having house bill II
under consideration, amended 1t to
provide election of the supervisory
boards. Members of the majority of
the senate who voted the elective pro-
vision into the measure expressed
themselves as being against anything
that would further increase the gov
ernor's personal powers. Unless this
measure gets through in some form,
with the approval Of the governor,
there can be no question that the tax
blockade will stand.
On the motor vehicle license issue
the senate apparently determines 10
keep by its bill of So license fees and
2 cents more gasoline tax. The house
roads and bridges committee prefers
an SIS license fee and cent gasoline.
This difference between the two
houses brings to striking attention
the fact that neither roads and
bridges committee has worked out a
highway bill to the satisfaction of all
its members. Why this has not been
done is attributable to the mixup on
the motor vehicle and gasoline license
proposals. However, something Of a
definite nature is expected to be forth
coming soon.
A million-dollar slash in payrolls and
subsistence allowances for state in.
stitutions and departments will be
sought by the senate appropriations
committee, Senator Landon of King
county. chairman, announced.
To Cut State Institutions.
Il Plans for sharp cuts along these
lines, in the budget submitted to the
legislature by Governor Hartley, have
L bSCu duoplSu ny luc Scudlt COulIlllleO
and referred to the house appropria
lions committee, according to Landon
In working out the readjustment Of
salaries and subsistence allowances
for state employees, Landon explain
ed, the committee used a different
basis than the one employed in max
ing up the governors budget.
"a majority of the departmental
estimates submitted to the governor
he said, were deceptive because the,
\ were, in many instances, based Oh
salary and living conditions as the!
were early last fall"
The committee felt the reduction.
\ would be justified in the face of pres
H ent living costs and economic condl
II tions.
H 1--WE intend, however, to make rea
H sonable provision for increased de
Il partmental activities and increased
population of state institutions ii
carrying out the 10 per cent cut Ii