Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-02-23

Legislative Notes
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the Legislature is on the nome
stretch for the session. Days that re-
main on the session can be used for
clearing up unfinished business. The
time for the introduction of bills, exx
cept by unanimous consent, has
passed.
In many ways this session has been
the most difficult of recent years.
General conditions are reflected in di-S
verse and, in many instances, contra
dieteryZ proposals. Observers cannot
doubt the sincerity and the good in
tentions of THE Legislative Assembly,
but at this time it appears doubtful
If much of a decisive, constructive
nature will be enacted. Some measures
that in their nature will be more or
less temporary, but designed to pro-
duce relief in special instances, have
been passed and it is probable that
other similar measures will be sue
cessful.
The House concurred in Senate
amendments to House Bill %, the
warrant refunding measure, almost
without discussion. The Senate amend
ments materially changed the char
acter Of The original bill, but due to
the long delay in. the Senate before
action was finally taken, House lead
ers agreed that the wisest thing was
to speed the bill on its way so that
its constitutionality might be tested
in the Supreme Court before the adj
journment of this session, with the
thought that if the bill were held in
valid, new measure meeting any OBJ
jections might be introduced and
passed before adjournment unfor--
tunately many people of the state do
not fully appreciate the Importance of
this measure.
A sample of extreme legislation
proposed can be found in House Bill
1876 which would exempt homesteads
from taxation, the word homestead
being interpreted in the full meaning
of existing statutes. This would result
in the removal of practically one
third of the real property of tho state
| from taxation. 1t is clear to any in
formed person that such legislation
would be absolutely impossible.
The so-called Chain Store Tax has
passed the House and is now pending
in the Senate as this is written. This
! is in reality a store or business mans
tax and If it should produce the rev.
enue estimated by its sponsors It is
likely that the Independent stores will
pay far more than the Chain organi-
cations in the state. As a lesser of
| two evils, inside observers think that
this proposal meets the approval Of
the larger chain organizations. Eff
forts to eliminate petroleum products
from the measure have SO far failed.
! The oil companies are not seriously
Directing to the tax being applied to
service stations but feel the bulk
plants which ars in large measure
wholesale units should be excluded.
The House has by large majority
approved the bill that would reduce
! automobile license fees to flat rate
of five dollars. This is in effect, an
economy measure that will save the
taxpayers as represented by the au-
tomobile owners, some seven hundred
thousand dollars annually. Another
measure changes the license year
back to January first and places the
actual distribution Of license plates
into the hands Of the various county
treasurers.
| AS is usual in sessions1of the Legis-
lature, there has been large number
OF Bills relating to school matters
presented. Some of these are of q
rather complicated nature and Woulc
result in a considerable readjustmeni
of school finances and functions. The
latest proposal of this character would
create an equalization fund within
the counties, designed to aid the more
hard pressed districts. Citizens ir
4 general can have little appreciation
Of the difficulties presented in The
consideration of proposals relating tc
schools due to the great size Of the
state and the diversity in conditions
I valuations and other factors that
must be considered.
+, Of the various special tax meas
ures designed to raise new revenue
but one so far has passed either
house and that is the so-called Chair
Store Tax. Others pending are ar
income tax proposal, tax on cigar
cites, license tax on newspapers, q
hydro-electric tax, natural gas tax
and several others of similar import
1t should be understood that the de.
sign Of these measures is to effect
q change in the revenue producing
! scheme that would relieve real prop
erty of some of ths tax burden. The
whole question of taxes is a very
complicated one and If the Legislature
fails in a short sixty-day session tx
solve this problem of the ages, the
legislators should not be subjected tt
adverse criticism. Agreements or
these matters are hard to reach ant
any ones reached may be sound OF
unsound.
Economy seems to be the watch