The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-12-12
WHY TAXES ARE HIGH.

1t is a good thing for the taxpay-
ers, but not a good thing for Moore
4 Houtz, the county printers, that
Griffin's partisan -holey-
ers have for the last time exposed
their ignorance, or something less
excusable. Another year of their
auditing of county printing bills
would have required new tax levy,
and Moore & Houtz would have prob
ably been able to build another brick
print shop.
The amount of the net claim for
election supplies, passed without a
murmur of record, was $1,135.93, not
taking account of two other trifling
bills, one Of $352.83, and another of
$S675, a total of 1,575.51 for print
ing for one quarter. And this extrav-
agant amount is based on cut of
so per cent on statute rates, it must
be remembered. A glance over the
itemized bill showed some glazing
overcharges, but just one need be
cited as an index of the rest, false
in one, false in all, says Solomon.
Eight thousand election ballots at
$25 per thousand, 5000. According
to the printing law those ballots
should have been listed as whole
sheet blanks, 14xl7, the exact size
of the ballot, and billed at $1,000
net, instead of 5000, the amount
claimed and allowed An overcharge
of $169.50 is rather pressing the limit
on a 5000 account, and there were
other items equally as glazing, which
explains how the Moore & Houtz
if honestly performed but the Griffin
board shut one eye and traced the
mystic o. K. on this item as well IS
every other item in the exorbitant
bill. Probably $500 of the peoples
money was recklessly wasted on this
appropriation the last quarter.
Count number two for the retiring
board is that they have never full
filled one section of the law which
reads: "At the adjournment of each
session of the board to cause to be
published in a newspaper, or other.
wise, fair statement of all its pro
ceedings." Until the Bee began to
publish the complete proceedings, OF
as complete as very abbreviated
clerks register would allow, the pub
lie was never informed of more thar
the barest mention of commissioners
proceedings through the official pa
per.
The lions share of the insurance
premiums On the new court house
was allowed to Griffin & Co., insur
ance agents, and allowed by Grifir
& Co., county commissioners, but
signed by Griffin only This was an
other direct violation of the restric
ton placed by law: mo member O.
the board must be interested, directly
or indirectly in any property pur
chased for the use of the county
nor in any purchase Or sale of prop
erty belonging to the county, nor il
any contract made by the board o
other person On behalf of the county
for the erection of public buildings
the opening or improvement of roads
or the building of bridges, or the pm
chasing of supplies, or for any othe
purpose"
History may record the prominen
part taken in the upbuilding of tn
wilderness of Flathead county b
Mr.. Griffin, especially the upbuildin
of the outstanding indebtedness, b,
he will certainly never gain fame E
political economist or other o.
economist.
Flathead county taxpayers wi
surely miss his fine Italian hand {
the warrant book, but they will hea,
nary sigh of regret for him that
gone.