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<br />COLORAm D?OIll;AT lOll
<br />NI:1TSLJ:l'T:CR
<br />Vol. 16 110. 5
<br />
<br />Roon 3, St. Janes Duilding
<br />312 17th street
<br />Denver 2, Colorado.
<br />Thursday, February 4, 1954.
<br />
<br />Dear Subscriber:
<br />Colorado's 39th General Assembly in its ,ecand regular session stepped up
<br />the tempo of its proceedings this past week when the bitterly controversial
<br />truck tax bills were brought to the floor of the House.
<br />The original bills, drafted by the Long Range Highway Planning Committee,
<br />and known as House Bills 8, 9, 10, and 11, werf overhauled in committee. HB 9
<br />amended alone was brought to the floor of the House: this was a rewrite and
<br />condensation of the four original bills. according to Palmer Burch, Finance
<br />Committee chairman, for more efficacious handling.
<br />To the now amended liB 9 were attached 41 correctional amendments from the
<br />floor, most of them authored by Oakl.ey Wade and Burch, two, of the leaders in
<br />the Republioan-dominated House.
<br />The heart of the controversy, however, was in the gross ton-mile tax
<br />(weight of vehicle plus cargo) versus net tof1-miJ.e tax (weight of cargo alone).
<br />As liB 9 amended was brought out of Committee, it incorporated the net ton prin-
<br />ciple in opposition to the gross ton principle as' ori~inally drafted---and this
<br />broUCht forth bitter 1Tords of condeJ:1llation 1'rotl Sen. Stephen L. R. r;clliclloJs,
<br />chairman of the LonG bn:;e HiChYI<lY Plimninb COlllnittee. - -
<br />SpeakinG under personal privilege on thc Senate floor, he lambasted the
<br />powerful truck lobby.
<br />Over the ueekend opposition to the 'Old Guard pOTIerful Republican party heaas
<br />---Speal:er Davey'lIar.lil, Reps. ':r.o.de, Durch---1'l<ls spearheaded by Reps. John Uackie
<br />and Janes Carter, standing for the gross tOll tax prinCiple. Their amendment
<br />on Tuesday oorning, after a stirring oration by ;,;ackie, failed by one vote,
<br />29-30.
<br />In the afternoon 1'men the rest of the correctional amendments to liB 9 amended
<br />had been concluded, the Committee of the l'Ihole report was made, and then Liackie
<br />reintroduced the gross ton tax principle as an amenrunent to this report, and won
<br />his point. ~ade voted with the majoi'ity in order tllat the issue could be re-
<br />considered.
<br />Other amendments to the Committee of the Who:ll.e report reduced the mill
<br />levy to 1.5, and exempted farm and intra-city trucks.
<br />On Wednesday the House voted to re-refer the bill to the Rules Committee.
<br />It was expected that it would be brought out again for more debate on Friday.
<br />
<br />A day-by-day rundown of bills of general interest, and actions, particularly
<br />as.,they affect counties, is as follows (continued from last week) :-
<br />January 25-
<br />SB 26 _ Bennett - so that first offense drunk drivers may get probationary
<br />period driving permits at discretion of motor vehicle depnptment. To Transporta-
<br />tion.
<br />SB 27 _ Sennett _ would require in all c~nr.ercial vehicles and trueks operat-
<br />ing on public highnay~ a safety restraining deyj,ce at the driver's seat, which he
<br />is required to neaT' ":;li18 cri vine. To Transport:1tion.
<br />SD 2(\ - !:om.chols anc\ Shults - sets up Colorado 1'011 Ili[;hway Connission.
<br />To Transportationo
<br />SB 29 - Gobble, Rogers, and I.:ulholm - concer:1S oetropolitan "later districts.
<br />To JucLi.ci'ilry. '
<br />HB 63 - Clay ,:ucd Du.:~ch - Y/Quld' assess one part'rin on property taxation,
<br />rather thafi frlJ.ctioT'tl:l shaoholdcrs. To ?i,nance; -, ,
<br />HE 65, 66, and 67 - calpanion bills to 3D 17, 28, and 26, respectively.
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