Evening star., 1933-07-30
WYOMING REDUCES
COSTS Of STATE.
Many Economy Measures Are
! Being Planned by County
Officials.
BY r. E. EVANS.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

SpeClal DlSpatcn 10 Inc otar.
CASPER, Wyo.. July 29.-Continued
efforts toward tax reduction and gov
ernmental reforms will go hand IN
hand with industrial and agricultural
rehabilitation measures to speed eco
nonic recovery in Wyoming. Events
OF the last week have again brought
the question to the fore, and even
though no special session of the Wyo-
ming Legislature is called in an OF
year to act on major proposals, assur-
ance prevails that changes looking to
increased economy and efficiency will
be urged at every turn.
County commissioners and assessors
discussed the subject in State meet
lative Tax and Revenue Commission, tax
experts retained to make a survey of
revenue and governmental structures,
the Executive Committee of the Wyo-
ming Tax League, and tax representa-
tiveS Of various business institutions
OF the State studied the question in
Joint conference at Casper.
Model Government Seen.
Public interest has been stimulated
by several factors, including sectional
advances in assessed valuations for
certain classes of property by the
State Board Of Equalization, and the
announcement that because Of declin-
ing valuations the State tax levy for
the current year may exceed 4 mills.
State valuation figures have not been
completed, but it is indicated that
,Wyomings total for 1888 will be about
! S322,000,000 as compared to $354,000,-
900 in 1882.
The legislative commission appointed
at the regular biennial session last
Winter has not completed recommen-
SdationS based on an intensive study
of State government and its subordi-
nate divisions, but several members
are optimistic regarding findings and
I the possibility for highly constructive
| drafted is accepted in whole or in
part. w. NJ Jack, Speaker Of the
House, says Wyoming will have every
reason to expect model government if
provisions are enacted Problems are
being attacked from a non-partisan
basis, the commission members having
! been appointed from a Republican
, State Senate and Democratic House.
) The movement is receiving its great
i est encouragement in an organized way
from the Wyoming Tax League, Or
ganized at the outset by the Wyoming
! Stock Growers Association, and now
, dSilS olNClSlllCO ultClcStS Will
active branches in every county. SUBJ
stitution of sales tax for certain
exemptions on property as advocated
by E. v. Robertson of Cody, promi-
nently identified with the league and
its lobbyist on legislative activities, has
met with favor on the part of units
in the Big Horn basin and elsewhere,
especially rural communities.
p,aH public Works
Gov. L. A. Miller has signified his
Willingness to call a special session
Of the Legislature to act on tax revi-
sion and governmental reform If its
advisability can be shown. His deci-
sion will Be based on discussions now
being held and recommendations to be
formulated.
Wyoming, in the meantime, makes
note Of steady progress in plans for
increased activities Like those of all
States, its program of proposed public
works embracing almost every form of
legitimate construction, will have to be
sifted to gain the most practical bene-
fits. The State highway commission
in open meeting heard delegations from
every county in the State present re-
quests for road improvements. and
indorsed or rejected many proposals.
Work has been allocated tentatively to
all sections subject to Federal approval.
Funds available to Wyoming for this
purpose amount to S4,500.000 in addi-
tion to about S3,449,0 900 for forest and
park roads. Gov. Miller has asked q
reallocation Of the latter to provide a
larger portion for forest roads.
A new and significant development
In private industry is an increase in
coal production for the year over the
corresponding period in 1882. due to
larger railroad activity. The Union
Pacific Coal Co.. largest operator of its
kind in the State, whose activities are
ljcentered in Sweetwater County, re-