The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1962-04-20

IpOcKeCDO0kS.
TWO LAYERS OF
SUGAR-COATING
The sugar-coating around the most
oppressive form of taxation ever de-
vlsed would be dissolved by the next
Legislature if it were made law by
the initiative. This first layer of sugar
says that the six-mill University levy
and the two-mill General Fund levy
would be abolished, primarily for
the benefit of Montana Power, Ana
conda Co., and few other corporate
giants). 1t is doubtful, whether two
conditions can be enacted in the
same initiative. In order for the tax
to be palatable to the Supreme Court
the levy removal would likely be
stricken from the law.
The second layer of sweetening
prescribed by Cashmere is the less
ening of income tax for the lower
income groups in order for them to
be able to take the direct blow at
their pocketbook. The few dollars
saved yearly from income tax would
be eaten up by the food budget per-
centage increase in less than month.
The millions now paid by corpora
lions and major land owners would
be shifted directly on to those least
able to pay. Or as we regress into
the dark sixties perhaps it is proper
for the people to pay for their educa-
ton because it is obvious that cor
porations don't have children. Cor
porations only spawn subsidiary
pocket book bleeders.
The mayors of Montana towns
are not exactly unaware of the
political implications of the doc
tors economic poisoning because
while they listened politely and
asked what was in the initiative
that would be of benefit to muni-
cipal financing they firmly rejected
the sales tax idea.
There was nothing in it for the
cities and they had to be elected
again. Not one of them expected to
gain reelection by dragging with
them the financial corpse of the
voters family budgets.
Rep. Tim Sullivan, Butte, saw a |
more hopeful picture for Montana if |
we would stop relying on people |
bleeding and tax our natural re-
sources. Tim did not elaborate on
whether it should be in the form of
taxes or in the form of
graduated land taxes. A graduated
mill levy similar to the income tax
might be a means to stop the collec-
,ivization of our farms and other
The greater the value of
/ unit the greater the levy. Property
would then be ON the same grounds
hat people have to stand on when
axed.
Sullivan looked at the tax picture
more as a businessman than as a
iormer mayor of Butte and present
legislator from Silver Bow.
Taxes are only a drop in the
bucket as compared to the way
freight, rates effect the economy.
He told of having had to pay rates
from Buffalo, N. ", to the coast
for government contract work. 81.
While it is expensive to send things
made in Montana to outside markets, I
he boilers installed in all the re-
emily built buildings in Butte have
ONE from Dallas Sullivan builds
oilers in Butteyd ogtug f.44se
Copper, sugar, and gasoline which
re produced here cost us more than :
we lived in states which are non ,
roducers. Our colonial status is !
in the fact that wool !
rashing plant cannot be built here
ecause freight rates prohibit it.
The facts of our colonial status v
re we'll known. A $4,000 report C
, the legislature ON gas price-fixing T
public knowledge. The University t
as a massive study on freight dis 2
lfes Gae"
A MAJOR WASTE
The oppression from duplication Is
major waste of taxes according to