The Lincoln times., 1955-02-24
Sen. Garrison
Gives Report
From Raleigh
BY w. E. GARRISON
State Senator, 25th District

p State Senator, 25th District
RALEIGH - Between the dev-
il and the deep blue sea" is an
old expression and used m any
times in perplexing situations.
find this saying fits favorably into
the situation 1 find myself in as
member of the Finance Commit
tee.
The Appropriation Committee
hears the request of all branches
OF. the State Government for their
budget. The Finance Committee
is to find the money to fill these
requests.
TAXES UNPOPULAR i
The Finance Committee is
caught between two great powers
the appropriation committees
who need the money and the
people who do not want to pay
anymore taxes. The squeeze is
on! We are doing our best to
find way to get a little more
money into the state treasury
and not make it too burdensome
on the people who must furnish
the money in some form OF taxes
1t is the policy of the Finance
Committee to give everyone a
chance to express their views. The
Reserve Commission, after study
ing our state needs for 1855 and
1856, very frankly tell us we must
have in new revenue twenty six
million dollars for 1855 and same
amount for 1856.
This amount will help continue
the services the state has obli-
gated itself to furnish the people
The ever increasing enrolment in
public schools take more than two
thirds OF the total amount to be
raised. The Finance Committee
has been in session two to four
hours per day for four weeks.
Many people have been before us
to express .eir views and we have
heard without exception that peo-
pie want service. But their plea is
the proposed tax would be unfair
to them. After all is said it means,
"people want services continued
but let the other fellow pay for
the services. The proposed taxes
on insurance agents, we heard
from them, would leave
them a very small profit. Cars,
busseS, truckers tried to make us
believe they would have to leave
the state to make a living.
The liquor boys say if we raise
taxes on their wares from 8-1i2
pct. to 10 pct. that bootleggers
would get so much of their buSi-
ness they just could not make
living. Some of us feel that we
have so many bootleggers now
that the number added would not
make too much difference in the
sale of booze.
The proposed tax Of 2c a pack
on cigarettes, we were led to be-
lieve, it would bankrupt every to-
bacco farmer in the state. This
proposed tax is a consumers tax.
To hurt anyone but the fellow who
buys the cigarettes Just doeSn' t
make sense to me. The argument
given on other proposed tax items
were don't curtail the services we
are receiving from the state but
don't make us carry part OF the
load.
EVERYONE WANTS MONEY"
Everyone wants more money.
The federal government W is
more money and they will get 1t
one way or another. The state gov
ernment needs more money to
continue to give us the service we
want. The mental institutions
want more money, the welfare
department wants more money.
The health department wants
more money, state highway de-
partment wants more money, pub
lie schools must have more money
to take care OF our children. Col
leges and hospitals say they must
curtail unless they get more tax
money. Charitable organizations
say more money; our churcheS
should have more money.
FROM THE PEOPLE?
"Where is all this money COM
ing from?" Just one place--from
the people of the state. Anyone
who has a solution to these prob
lens kindly give to us who must
find a way your words of wisdom.
Our leaders tell us we are living
in the greatest period the world
has ever known. I'm not so sure.
But I am sure we are living in an
age when people demand more
service. Service costs money. Don't
feel too bad If everyone is requlr-
ed to contribute their bit to that
service. "UNLESS A SOLUTION
is FOUND 1T LOOKS LIKE THE
'HAVE-NO WHO WOULD
HAVE WILL HAVE TO DO
WITHOUT MUCH OF WHAT
THEY WOULD-HAVE BECAUSE