The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1956-07-13
Editorial
This PR0BL EN- MUST BE FACED

This PR0bL EN- MUST BE FACED
This bennum the Greater University of Montana has total
appropriations of than S14 million For the next bnnum
the units will be shooting figure of $50 million
the needed maintain the university system in face
of growing enrolment operaiona and de-
mands for broadened cirricula
the university units has been increasing
by to Is per cent year for the last several years Enroll
1886 year was 1882 compared
1902 for 195455 school year Looking ahead conservative
place enrolment growth
than thousand students each year. as Montana
aon continues to increase lie $1,000 in 1850 estimated
100000 in 1866.
this constantly increasing buildings
must be built the professional administrative and maintenance
increased and salary made
enough superior
All this will require substantially increased appropriations
(For buildings alone that fifteen
million dollars be invested the years)
1t isn't question of whether not the Montana public will
facilities for rapidly increasing number of young people
desiring college training We must meet this responsibility
Thus becomes question of how the money
be raised in equitable
No one has all the answers to the question of where's the
available which far toward producing the required
additional revenue.
individual income tax which, although
costing the family only few cents day. bring
isn't single Montana family who would be hurt if nd
vdual income tax increased by fifty cent
Yet this tax which is based on the ability to paw and is de-
ductbe the federal taxpayer would
bring upwards of three million dollars per year
were increased by the suggested fifty per cent
Then there is the corporation license which currently
has oophoes than kitchen By closing the escape
haches whereby thousand corporations
paying anything than nominal 800 minimum and
Montana corporations also do right we'll in evadng
it readily conceivable that the approximately million
dollars annually received from this could be doubled
In natural resourcesrch like Montana
also be considerably increased emphasis
Today taxes metals OIL coal and bring
in less than $15 million annually There
of Montanas most valuable By bringing
MOnanas schedules line with such
assessed by number of other this could definitely
be made to yield another four million dollars annually
state treasury.
Thoroughgoing Redistribution Of all personal
property Montana would only bring equity
the such property could probably
to substantial degree the of
and county eves produce from this Other than
recassicaon howveer property taxes should not be the
subject of any blanket increases.
Them there's that favorte every corporate
and of the higher income bracketthe General
Tax This although lucrative most rerogressve
and places the greater burden those able pay
tax should be considered only when all other
tax sources explored to the fullest possible extent
With growing population with more industry Jobs
business prosperity it entirely conceivable that comb
nation of tax increases and tighter collection procedures will
largely meet the demands of growing university
enrolment well the demands of the
various other divisions of state government