The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1962-03-30

A Quarter Million Dollar Property
Tax Plum for Montana Power
Montana Power Company Vice President Robert
Corette president Montana Chamber of Commerce
few the State Cote has been attempting to hood
wink the people of Montana believing must have
general sales order to meet increasing governmental
costs.
State C.ofC make the Carrot more pala
table the general public has been propagandzng couple
of "gmmicks' higher income exemptions elmi
leves Inferentaly quiet
they've also envoned the day when they chop the
poration License proposals
benefit of the Montanans when
alternative general sales (See VOICE, March 49,
To avoid undue repetition LET us this week consider in
detail those statewide leves which so much
publicity has been forthcoming Currently, these levies
amount to total of eight mills Six mills the University
levy mills levy 1860 accord
ing to the Board of EQUALIZATION brought
total of lust under six per cent of the S94
1920 property taxes levied at all levels of in
the state that year. fa
AS we pointed out last week. to the average home or small
business these eight mills aren't the
his property axpayng problems each May and November
Helena for example, currently have leves tolng 185
mills for city, schools county and state purposes The eight
mills amount to ~ cent of total tax most
homeowners six to nine dollars year
Replaced with sales tax of us would SO
to rs cents month while paying 10 to Is
times as much per month in sales tax
However, while ordinary folks wouldn't find their finan-
cia auence improved by elimination the eves the
same cannot be said for the private utilities and other major
corporate enterprises doing business in Montana
In fact Montana Power Company the largest single pro-
ected Montana would of its
ledger enhanced by cool quarter of million dollars
savings alone should the State eves be emi
mated.
How do arrive at that estimate? Simple. In 1860 ALL
utiiespower, telephone railroads. etc., etc-had
total assessed valuation of 1885, 0O0or 16 of
the total assessed valuation of ALL in Montana That
1912 that the utilities paid $4,000 of
the S5,528,615 the two statewide levies brought in.
Power 1860 had the largest valuation
utility in the 000-or 27 per of
the total utility assessed valuation of 1886 600
Twentseven of the 1922 900 State levy paid
by the utilities amounted $246240 paid by Montana Power
This quarter of million dollar melon Montana Power
would look forward to by elimination of the statewide evie
isn't exactly chckenfeed and for would not reflect it
self in lowered utility bills for the monopols patrons
In Short would be just added item of profit be divided
stock dividends per of which would
leave Montana never to return. f-s
The Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Milwaukee, and
other railroads, which also wheels the State
C.ofC would like Montana Power find elimination of the
leves most profitable In total replacement of the
eight mills would of $396460 to the
whose ownership and control conferred in the Twin
Cities and points East
And old, poverystricken Ma Bel would pick
least much it costs the tee
monopoly maintain weheeed lobby Helena each
legislative session Eighty thousand dollars plus isn't to be
sneezed at, even by the Telephone Company.
Decidedly elimination statewide would be
dandy for the "better business climate of
but that lost would have to be
someplace, what would do for YOUR "better
living cimate"?-HLB