The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-08-16
OUR COUNTY TAXES
The commissioners View of the
Case-The Reasons For AN In
creased Levy.
Ihc Enormous Expenses Of Our-Dis,
trIct Court.

Our article printed in last Saturdays
DAILY News aud on the fret page of
his Issue. criticisiLg the action of our
county commissioners in the tax levy
has han the good effect to bring before
the public some matters they needed to
know, and will undoubtedly result in
further good yet. The commissioners
thought the article was liable 10 con
slruction that was unfair 20 them and /
placed them IN false light. In start |
ing out in that Article We distinctly dis |
claimed any motive aside from that of |
he public welfare in discussing the ques-
ton of our high taxes. The commits |
dence 10, and for whom we have the |
highest respect We have no desire TO
misrepresent thIm or ubfaIrly comment
upon their action. We were
waited upon by them this week
for the purpose, as they stated, of having
US correct some wrong impressions
which they claimed our former article
had made upon the public. We present
their side of the case, and from their
view they claim they could not have
done otherwise than to levy the amount
of tax they did, and they have conf
denee to believe the public will sustain
them when the facts are understood. 1t
is our province 10 give the facts 10 the
people of the county, and we gladly
give the commissioners hearing.
In the first place, when the board as
at present organized came INTO power.
there was floating debt Of about $15,-
600 to deal with. The present board Is
not responsible for one cent of this
debt. OF course they could not repu-
diate, and the only honorable course, as
they viewed the case in the light of the
best interests of the county, was TO pro-
vide for the payment of this
debt. This debt had been accommodating
for some years, and good deal of it
came from failure TO provide for the
rebate under the present tax law. Part
of it came from erecting bridges before
the present board came into power
Last year levy of91S mills was made
which it was calculated would pay all
expenses and reduce thls debt considera-
bly,. 1t was reduced about $4,000, but
some unforeseen expenses. such as 1000
to prevent the spread Of small pox, and
other items, prevented it from being re-
| duced as much as had been hoped. That
floating debt is now about 1900. and
it is the purpose of the commissioners
| to use enough OF the levy
of this year to almost If not quite pay it
up and to hereafter put the county on a
cash paying basis. This is undoubted.
ly the sound policy, as the county can.
not afford to pay the seven per cent in
terest on its outstanding scrip. Neither
can it afford to suffer the loss arising
from the discount on Its scrip
which it loses on all contracts it lets al
seasons when there isnot money to meet
its paper. A special act was passed last
/ winter making II obligatory upon the
commissioners to levy one mill tax to
build bridge at or near Columbia ford
| This law was passed because under the
| regular law the commissioners could
not levy tax sufficient 20 cover that
aud the other levy which they were com
PEELED to make. Taking off this one
mill which they are not justly chargable
with, and two mills for the payment OF
the floating debt, which they did moi
help make, but which they must pro-
vide for, and the present board claim
that the levy of last year has not been
legitimstely raised, or in other words
no more tax has been levied for the legit
innate running expenses of the county
for the year than has heretofore been rails
ed. They admit that it will take al
least $500 to build the COlumbis
bridge. We give the commissioners tht
benefit OF these points, and admit that
they are good ones, and trust the people
will be better satisfied when this explain
alton is made.
The fact, though, stands out IL diss
greeable prominence that our county
taxes are too high, and that they ough
to be and must be reduced by another
year. The commissioners claim tina
they are using the greatest care ant
economy in the conduct of the county
business, and are often severely censureC
for being too parsimonious. They de
clare that under all the circumstances o
the situation it is impossible to reduce
expenses farther at present. They be
lieve by next year the tax Ivy can b'
reduced very materially. In investi
eating this matter we find that Igor
county pays more taxes than any OtheI
county We have any knowledge of. Ii
Brown. u county older than Lyon anC
with nearly as many people, the entire
levy for county purposes was only $S1,
600. Ours for this year is $4,000
We have found no county, bridge
tax and all, that has over 1D.mill levy
Our district court is costing us twics
as much as it ought TO, and we nov
call upon the judge, the county
attorney, the sheriff and eycry
one else who has control of the expenses
of the coErt to use their best efforts Il
reduce the enormous levy of $12,OO(
which had to be made this year to pay
the expenses of this court. In Brown
county, which has a taxable basis o
81, 337.71, and which must have within
a few Thousand of as many people
as Lyon, the levy tor the expenses o
the district court was only $2.OO0-$lO,
600 less than Lyon county. What g con
trasti We learn from the records of tht
/ -, 80 -;,Eo 4 hat 80
held ninety eight days between the frs
day of August. 1882. and the first day o
August. 1885. and that we paid fo
jurors alone, during this time. the enor
NOUS sum of four thousand, sir Aundret
aud secenty.Joe dollars! If there is no
a speedy reform in this respect we fea
the people of Lyon county viii
begin call with loud voice for q sec
ond Rob, ri NJ. Ruggles to come to thei
relief Those who had occasion to fire.
queDt his courts will remember that ht
seldom gave over three or tour days to {
term. OF course. the business of iht
court has Increased. but he would hardly
give Lyon county ninety-eight days il
year. In the interview spoken of, thS
commissioners claim they have no power
to apply remedy. The other officer'
to whom we appeal certainly have, and
we advise them TO apply it. 1t Is claimed
that the two Keiger murder trials great
ly increased the expenses, and pro
Ionged the time of this court. II is be-
lieved the tax for this purpose will be
reduced another year. We hope so
Certainly. if the Brown county district
court tan be run for $4,000 per year, thai
OF Lyon county ought not to cost $12s
600.
Another foolish and useless expense
upon the treasury is the laying out and