Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-02-16
It a5hln9ton s taudard
oiX uPIt. WASH.
lRlpN NKNIM. EFB. IL. 1921.


Atuut the i.r-t question that l.
ASKED * a -h1cWd ityc,t,r in realty
az the prrl.ctor 81 Al enterprise IN
Npi,!ns the expenditure %! money, is
What ratio OF taxation j. impo>cd?'
and il the answer j, not satisfactory, il
i-alnpti, ,l,ciIc- the fate II the pro-
po-iti N. TIN. J. hv no means sur
prj-in-. The tax levy cannot l.,
avoided. and Its payment i the only
inevitable consequence that falls with
rcmursclc>s impartiality on man.
The community that has allowed
the tax levy To- increase until II has
become a pul,ic burden is hampered
ty the constant drain upon It's re-
sources and is deprived OF the means
81 rtcutrration which new blood az
ford-. The only remedy is retrench-
ment-rigid rctrenchment; and 1t Is
with pleasure we note that our public
officials seem to bc very generally en-
hued with a thorough appreciation OF
this fact.
\ letter received a few days ago from
former resident of this city, who still
retains some OF his holdings here, and
the comparison he institutes between
the taxes levied here and in one Of the
larger cities of the East, affords the
means for serious reflection. He says
the city and county tax paid on bis
property in Pittsburgh, Pa, is II
mills, while here he has to pay %
mills county tax alone, while the
county and municipal levy amounts
to nearly 40 mills. Pittsburgh spends
millions annually in improvements,
and has to show for it asphalt road
ways, excellent sewerage, the finest
electro-lighting and the largest water
supply in the United States.
The correspondent is taxed 5000 on
1G0 acres of unimproved land, while a
farm in Allegheny county, within the
same distance OF Pittsburgh as it is
from Olympia, with buildings, fencing
and Improvements, is not taxed more
than half that amount, though hav.
ing half a million people to buy its
products. He owns a residence in the
city of Pittsburgh, including some
four and one-half acres OF ground,
costing $4,000. His annual taxes on
this property, all told, amount to 1890,
and he pays on block So, Olympia,
$2SS!
He has on Penn avenue, Pittsburgh,
a tract Of eight acres fronting an
asphalt-paved street, the Pennsylvania
railroads station on it, with 70 accom-
mediation trains passing daily, an cleo
trio railroad across its front, two other
electric roads within four blocks of it,
gas for illumination, gas for fuel, water
pipes on the street, and the tax upon
it is less than $500. 1t is worth, at
market value, at least twelve times as
much the probable value of block SO,
Olympia.
Mr.. f. ]. Allen, the correspondent,
expresses the belief that there is not
another county in the United States
grooming under more excessive burden
OF taxation than our own. He says in
the East five per cent. is considered a
good return for rental on residence
property, and there are annually built
in his city 5000 or 1000 houses, but
with unimproved property taxed 4 per
cent, what is the outlook for Olympia
for such investment?
If there is a goose that lays golden
eggs, it will not be apt to nest in such
a dangerous proximity.
These cold facts and figures are not
palatable, but like the nauseous dose
swallowed to save life, they will be
serviceable in emphasizing the good
work of reform. The people favor re.
trenchment. Everybody favors it ex-
cept it may be those on the salaried
list who receive big pay for short
hours, and grumble when ousted from
their comfortable quarters. p.
1t has been said that the world is
governed too much, and very little
doubt is left of the truth of the adage
when the peoples noses are forced to
the grindstone to pay the costs.