Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1892-02-05

The total levy for county purpos-
es was therefore nine mills. II all
had been collected for that
year, they would have aggregated
80. We have hurriediy gone
through the bills allowed by that
board that same year, on which bus
mess was to have been done on q
cash basis, and If we have skipped
they aggregate slO,7Sll9,
leaving a debt of s3,S7O.2O the first
thing. But then as now the heav-
lest drafts were made on the county
general fund and, if we mistake not,
the other funds were not permitted
10 run behind materially. The three
mill levy on the general fund only
brought a tax of S2303 66 according
to these figures. The bulk OF this
overdraught was doubtless thrown
on the general fund, and that seems
to be when the mischief started.
Whether or not the expenses for that
year were keptduwE to the minimum
according to the then existing laws
we are not prepared to say; nor are
we prepared to say that we are not
now better able to pay the debt than
we would then have been to pay the
running expenses. That year ma,
not have been any worse than Other
| years, but we have selected it be
cause it was the first after funding
the outstanding warrants. For sew
eral years at about that time the
levy on the general fund was no
adequate to cover the expenses there
Of aud matters went from bad X
worse. The contrast between a ta2
Of about SIS 90 toSl0.00 an a quartz
section Of land then and from $50 t
$50 now is the schedule according tt
which we measure our taxes. Dur
ing those years u sister counties
paid more nearly what was neces
sary to meet their expenses ant
that is why they h've money OF
hand now. But it will be clearl,
seen that If the expenses could hav'
been curtailed a little, and the full
six mill levy, authorized by law ,hae
been made for tlat year our finances
might have been in better condition
The population ofthe county a
that time was 6,462, rs returned b,
tie assessors, and the whole tax, ex
elusive Of poll and school taxes, die
not exceed s9,2l4 for tina. year, 0,
about SLAP per capita. Our popu
lation is now about 10000 and tn.
aggregate OF our taxes, exclusive o
| poll taxes district school and do.
taxes, is not far from $4,000, o.
about So 90 per capita. Iii natura
to believe that county officers ant
dealers in the city, who expecte,
their pay for services and goods from
the county, have favored levy I,
cover expenses rather than to b,
compelled to discount their orders
70 lay this state OF affairs at tn
door Of any man or set Of men il
this city, against whose interests i
all operated, is simply folly. Thu
solution for the whole matter j!
probably this: Either the com
missioners thought that in years o
anticipated prosperity we coulc
more easily pay two Or three dollars
than we could have paid one durin.
years when we suffered from grass
hoppers, hail or floods; or else Their
desire to please the people and Civ
them low taxes because they de
sired their friendship and perhaps
reelection overpowered their bette1
judgement Of business management
This is simply our view Of thu
case from this course OF reasoning
and we give il. hoping that some
one who desires light on the subject
nlay be aided in his efforts to find
the same.
A. @. Ringsrud has taken HE old
ad out. See his new one.