Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-11-23
TELEPHONE NUMBER NINE
TO THE TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION

Last Sundays meeting of the Taxpayers Association
was the first that the editor of The News has had oppor-
tunity to attend.
Member present at this meeting impressed us that they
were a lot of men and women, honest, conscientious cltl-
zens, actuated by a desire to do something to reduce the
general taxation. Some of their contentious may be
wrong, but one can scarcely doubt their sincerity. Every
progressive citizen is and should be interested IN lower
taxes, especially in times like these.
1t has been the policy of The News to advocate any
thing for the general welfare of the citizens OF Carbon
county. We stand ready at all time to lend a helping
hand to any constructive program, whether it be reduc-
ton of taxes or advancement of new industry. We are all.
in favor of lower taxes. How and where to begin is the
question.
The News has some definite ideas. First, our state
government at Helena has grown out OF proportion to our
population. In fact, we are carrying a state government
large enough to govern a state with a population OF live
million people or more; our population is a little more
than one half of one million. 1t is true that our state levy
is only a small proportion of our taxes, but if we are to re-
duce the deficit and pay off the Indebtedness, drastic re-
duction in our state government must be made. Boards
and commissions must be abolished or consolidated to do
away with unnecessary frils.
First we would suggest that the legislature abolish the
railroad and public service commission and transfer its
duties and powers to our courts, as far as practical; and
to elective state officers.
Second. the legislature should submit a state c%onstitu-
tional amendment abolishing the so-caned state board oil
equalization and transferring these duties back to the
state officials, who are already drawing salaries and can
just as well conduct the affairs of the state board OF
equalization as was done in the past. There are many
other boards and commissions that could be very easily
abolished without any loss to the taxpayers; In fact, we
have too many such boards.
1t is quite evident if there is to be much reduction IN
taxes that there will have to be a revamping Of our school
laws, including our universities. In the first place, Mon
tana should not attempt to conduct a university along the
same lines as New York or Illinois. We should have u
consolidated university. We don't mean to build a lot OF
new buildings, as there are buildings enough now, either
at Missoula or Bozeman, to house a university of a size
that Montana people can support. If we are to have all OF
these frils, we will have to pay the taxes.
It is quite clear to all taxpayers that 90 per cent OF all
our taxes are school taxes, but school boards are not re-
sponsible for these laws. They are made in the legisa-
ture, and the place to remedy them is in the Legislature
There should be a restriction as to tax levies, but our
whole school law will have to be remodeled before much
relief can be expected.
The resolution passed by the Taxpayers Association
NAV contain some just criticism. We are quite certain
that some of the criticism should be directed against the
legislature instead of the school trustees or the county Of
ficials. The remedy for the complaint as 81 to the county
high school board is in the repeal or the amendment OF
the present high school law. There may be some J%ustifi-
cation-we do not know, but we offer this suggestion to
the +. P. A. Hold another meeting in Red Lodge. In
vite the members of the high school board to attend and
present to the 7. T. A. their Interpretation of the present
law. So
The request for a % per cent reduction in the eemen-
tary schools should be discussed with local school boards.
We do not want to cripple our schools, but we do want to
eliminate unnecessary expense.
As to the abolishing of the deputy in the clerk Of the
courts office, we would suggest that a committee COM
posed of unbiased members of the I. 7. A. examine the
clerks office and ascertain first whether it would be adj
visable to abolish this deputy or not; bearing in mind that