The Coolidge examiner., 1941-07-04


issue with statements quoted in
this column.
Mr.. White makes the statement
that the big taxpayers-mines and
ailroads-shifted 4S per cent of
their tax load onto 1.-The rest OF
us"
Figures taken from the state eX-
aminer's most recent report indi-
cate Mr.. White isn't familiar with
| the statistics from that office.
They reveal that the actual shift
of property taxes from the mines,
railroads, telephone and telegraph
companies, public utilities, banks
and motor vehicles amounts to
5.39 per cent from 1880 to 1899,
latest available figures.
In reducing Arizona's net valu-
alton from $714,945.S09 in 1880 to
S371.476,379 in 1889 all classes OF
property were reduced except util-
tiles, including telephone and tele-
graph companies. The net valu-
alton on lands and improvements
dropped from SO millions to AZ
millions; city lots and improve
ments from 125 millions to S3 mill
ions: livestock from IL million to
eight.
1t is true that the total valua-
ton on mines took the largest
proportionate drop in the 1O-year
period, but ore bodies of the ma
jor producers have been depleted
during this time, which accounts
for part of the reduction. Howev-
er. the total valuation of mining
property will take big jump next
year when the Phelps Dodge cor
poration starts production at Nor
enci.
Mr.. White failed to note that ex-
emptions on land and improve
ments jumped from 1865, III in
1880 to $15,644,602 in 1889, and on
city lots from s17,739,305 in 80 to
S37,177,364 in 1889. This colum-
mist takes advantage OF the ex-
emption allowed veterans, and
therefore doesn't blame others for
taking advantage of every exemp-
ton allowed by law.
Mr.. White appears to have fall-
en- into the role of what residents
in mining camps call company
baiters." persons who think it's a
popular cry to assail the concerns
whose huge investments developed
the country and provided jobs and
security for many thousands OF
residents.
With all the hue and cry about
the shifting of the tax burden, the
indisputable fact remains-as at
tested by the state examiners lat
est figures-that the mines, rail-
roads and utilities today are pay
ing 54O3 per cent of the states
property taxes.
And there's no reason why they
shouldn't.
In the absence of a public state
ment from the governors office
that he intends to move in" on
the State Highway commission,
! Isaac Barth, ponderous publisher
of the st. Johns Herald-Observer,
takes to task those who have spec
ulated on the possibility of such
a move.
1t is evident the erudite editor
of the Observer hasn't seen one of
the widely letters sign
ed by Mr. Osborn three days be-
fore he became governor in which
he told job-seekers he couldn't do
anything for them until | get con-
troll of the highway department"
Surely the Observers editor
doesn't want to Retain for his own
exclusive right the columnist's
prerogative of predicting antici-
pated events.
Didn't the governor move in on
the industrial commission, where
there are fewer than 100 jobs,
when the commissioners ignored
his request for designations Sure
ly Editor Barth isn't so naive as
to think his excellency is likely to
overlook the highway department
with more than a thousand jobs
for deserving ones.
| Should the emergency continue
into next years election campaign
period, politicos had better begin
thinking about methods of ap-
proach to the sizable service mems
vote and the increased number of
absentee ballots, due to the pres
ence of so many AriZonans in de-
tense industries in other states.
Latest name to be mentioned as
possible candidate for the Demo
cratic nomination for governor is
that of Newell r. Stewart, Phoenix
city commissioner. Prescient pol
iticos several weeks ago discuss
ed the possibility of Mr.. Stewart's
candidacy, but this week his name
was projected publicly as a result
of his decisive action in bringing
about the resignation of the capi-
tai city's chief of police.
One observer was quick to COM
ment that Calvin Coolidge once
became President in the wake OF
Strengthening out the Boston police
situation, and inquired: why
shouldn't such action be a STEP
ping stone for Newell Stewart?'
A report comes from Tucson that
l. P. Mcbride, widely known train
man, is flirting again with the
idea of seeking the Democratic
gubernatorial nomination. Mr..
Mcbride, reputedly is irked at
Ochorp for foilnro tn rQ-