White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1935-02-07
Washington
State Analyst
By Horace Lane and Lew selvidge

fourth week OF CIle SeSoA0A WAoA1 va
tually all Of it's important legislation
still In the hands Of committees. With
the exception Of appropriation bills
covering expenditures Of the session
no major measures had received the
necessary approval Of both houses at
mid-week. The slowness of the two
houses in gaining momentum is CIV
ing rise to growing belief that a
continued or special session Of the leg
islature may be necessary.
Taxation, relief, roads, and the
blanket primary bill occupied the lime
light as the week opened with the tax
program perhaps the most difficult to
work out. The biennial budget asked
for administrative purposes total OF
$39, 100 ,4O6. The 76-page tax bill sub
mitted provides revenues estimated at
$36, 1852 ,O8O from sources other than
property With the state limited to in
direct taxes through Initiative NO. "a
it is still a million dollars short OF
the estimates even if the bill is adj
opted without amendment. Many OF
the provisions of the measure, how
ever, will be subjected to fire and may
be altered.
The business occupations tax will
probably be lifted, to bring in aroune
$28 100000 in the biennium. A luxury
tax on cigarettes and tobacco will yiele
about 100000. The Governor asks
for levy of two cents on a package
of 20 cigarettes, but a heavy figh
against the proposal is in the off1ng
Amusements are going to pay more
if the tax of 21a per cent is slapped
on the recreational business. Public
utilities will likely be taxed at pc
cent. Inheritance taxes may include
levy on life insurance paid at the dealt
| of the INSURED, for the first time il
the history of the state. Low policies
those under $4,000 in total would b
exempt.
Prediction: The Highway Code,
passed at all, will be referred to tn
j people, either, by action of the legis
lature, or by referendum petitions, be
fore the code ever reaches the statut
books.
The blanket primary bill sponsore
by the Grange as an initiative mea
sure to the legislature, passed IN tn
Senate Tuesday on a motion to re
consider, after the bill had been kille
by tie vote the preceding day. tn
House has not yet passed on the in
tiative but has passed an identical b1
on it's own motion so that it is antic
pated approval of the measure by thf
division of the legislature will be on
formality. Even with legislative SUI
port behind it, however, it is still like
that the measure will go on the BALI
through referendum action of the let
islature It is an issue of such natu
: that approval by the electorate seen
3 both logical and advisable.
Charges of ineficiency graft, incon
4 potency, and political favoritism we
t lodged against the State Emergen
|, Relief department Tuesday IN a r
}, port by the House and Senate nve
: tigating committees. Recommendatio
S were made that more complete il
g vestigation extending after the sessi'
r adjourned, be provided for in a sp
n cific act. The report was made by
i. committee headed by Rebel Murphy
the Senate, and A. E. Edwards,
a the House. Since the investigation W
d launched because extreme bitterne
n against the Emergency Relief organ
It cation already existed in both hous
b the report given was to be expect
:" whether the investigation was has
le on an unbiased survey of the stu
d ton or by one colored with polite
= preiudiceS