The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-12-11
County Affairs Again.

the county as reported IN the lasC
issue of the GAZETTE. Nearly ev-
eryone seemed surprised that the
should have become SO
heavily involved when there has
been no unusual heavy expense.
The debt was variously estimated
from $4,000 to $4,000 and oc-
casionally a citizen would guess
the amount at $4,000, showing
that the general public was very
much in ignorance of our real
condition. Last spring, after the
payment of the delinquent Ore
gon Pacific taxes, this paper
stated upon what seemed reliable
information, that the county's
debt was reduced to practically
$50, 900, but at that time our in
debteduess must have been con-
siderably larger than it is al prss
ent.
In looking over the records, ii
is apparent that the salary system,
adopted in July, 1894, is very
largely responsible for our present
condition. For the year ending
July, 1st, 1895, the county's .ex-
.penditures for salaries OF Officials.
not including ihe cost of consta-
BILE. commissioners and janitor,
which aggregates 81 ,O54.7l, !,
amounted to $9,65s.27, while the
fees turned over to the treasurer
from the various officials only
amounted to $l,956.95 for the
year.
Fo. the year ending July last,
official salaries amounted tc ST.
54S SO, and the fees received from
III" various officers aggregated ST.
792 S5. 10 recapitulate the show
| in: 'nr the two years is as fol-
low: Salaries. first year, &c.
,65s.27; salaries, second year, ST.
1886, total, sI7, ,2O7.23; fees, first
| year, $1,956.95; ices, second year,
$1,792.s5; total: $3,749.S0, to-
tai, $3,749.SO; excess of salaries Tor
2 years, $l3,457.43. From these
figures, it is seen that the lees
from the sheriffs, clerks and re.
corder's offices together are insuf'
ficient to pay the sheriiFs salary
alone. Since the operation OF the
Butler bill went into effect, the
/ county has derived absolutely nc
revenue from the sherilfs Office
Under the original salary Law
provision was made for the collec
ton of fees from litlgants the
same as when we we're operatin:
under the fee system and the fee
so osllected were to be turned owe
to the county. The Butler bill
however, provided for the deposi
of SIS or $40, according to tn
amount involved, with the clerl
whenever civil or probate mat
tier was begun, and under tn
provisions of this law it was lieh
that such deposit should be ful
payment Tor officers fees in til
case. Thus it is seenthat tn
law is manifestly unjust in its ol
Grafton: In,onlys very Jew ~
stances is the deposit sufficient I
defray the cost OF the work IL
t volved; and very frequently til
: clerk alone performs services t
: the extent of double the deposi
leaving nothing whatever for dc
fraying the expenses OF the shel
= if in serving the papers and pei
' forming ether duties required c
him before case i, closed VI
In other words, the taxpayers al
bearing a very large proportion
the cost of litigation which shoul
properly be paid by the litigan
themselves. If the. Butler bi
e was repealed, even with the pre-
ent salary system, the count
+ would probably increase its revt
nue. several thousand dollars ann'
e ally.
Said prominent taxpayer til
e other day, in conversation with
a GAZETTE representative: s'Th
Butler bill is the cause of muc
e of our trouble. Many of we ta1
II payers who have 10 litigation al
compelled to pay taxes, a larg
e. portion of which is exhausted !
/. paying salaries of officials who's
| time is largely employed lin pc
e forming duties for litigants, man
of whom pay little Or no take
e Litigants should pay the office
It the same as they did under Il
old fee system and IN that wa
d the revenues of the county wouI
d be materially increased"
IS Continuing, he sand: ''In IN
opinion, the Offices of clerk ar
J. recorder should be consolidate
II and the clerks salary fixed
e $14O0. The salary of the sheri
d should be reduced 10 $1500and Il
e county judges salary ought N
to be more than 5000 per annur
Reasonable deputy hire shou
s then be provided by the coun'
II court. However, in my jud
y ment, a properly adjusted fee sy
e tenn would be very much mo
Y satisfactory to the officers, as we
as the taxpayers. Such a pli
provides payment for every Sc
vice performed and the expense