The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-06-10

article on increasing the assessment OF
property in CIatsop county, published in
Wednesday, Astorian, is no doubt cor.
rect so far as the legal status OF the
case Is concerned, but there are other
questions 10 be considered in connection
with the proposed elevation Of the value
Of property in the city and county. II
the taxpayers, those that pay the bulk
Of the taxes, could be assured that the
tax levy would be reduced in proportion
as the value is increased, then / do not
believe there would be any objection to
the argument, advanced by the Astorian
but there is lack Of confidence in As
toria among the business men and prop.
erty owners in the administration OF the
business affairs Of both city and county
If the property is assessed at its ae.
taai cash value, there are certain levies
fixed by law that can not be changed.
We have no assurance that the county
court would reduce the levy for the new
court house and If five mill tax should
be levied on an increased valuation, il
make our taxes 30 much higher. II we
knew that the county court would build
court house a. at first contemplated
to cost about $4,000, this objection
would be removed, but when the founda,
tion has cost over $4,000, and am in
formed that the building completed
would cost $272,OO0, the taxpayers would
certainly protest to any changes in the
present system of assessing property
until there is change in the county
court.
Still another reason. The city of As.
toria can levy ten mills. We have no
assurance that II the assessment is in.
creased, that the common council will
reduce the levy, and want to say right
here and now, that the business methods
OF the present city government are
frought with danger to the taxpayers.
am informed that they have reached
their limit OF indebtedness, and that
the business of the city is not and has
not been carried on in business like
way, but there has been too much ex.
travagance and waste of the peoples
money, and we have no assurance that
II the assessment is increased. the coun.
ell viii not use every dollar that can be
collected.
readily admit that the present sys.
TEN is wrong, and works against the
county l believe that il there was a
Sl2OOOOOO valuation instead of n 81.
100000 valuation, lO.mill levy for
county purposes and a 5.mill for city
purposes. instead of 20 for the county
and 10 for the city, it would be better
for the city and county, but | am like
large number of other taxpayers that
are afraid to trust either the county o,
city officers as their record for the past
two or three years has done more to
frighten and keep capital away from
Astoria than high taxes.
You say, that people intending locat
ing in any county always ask, what is
the tax levy. This is true. but it is al.
so true, that they also ask how the bus.
mess affairs of the city and county are
managed, and | know of my own knowl
edge that a number of people have been
Kept away from Astoria on account of
the extravaganza of both the county
court and the common council. When.
ever the people will put the peoples
business in the hands of business men in
which the taxpayers have confidence.
then will we be willing that the assessed
valuation OF all property be doubled or
trebbled, but the taxpayers are not go.
ing to submit to an increased valuation
with the same levy in order to allow the |
county court to build 100000 court
house, and the common council to in.
crease the salaries of its officers and buy
ing supplies wholly unnecessary and |
which they would not buy if they were
the business for themselves.
There is no doubt but the Astorian is |
legally and morally right, but the people |
of Clatsop county are simply up against |
it by administrations in which the peo-
pie have no confidence in, and which we
know is the most eXtravagant ever in
the history of the city or county The
city nor county debt has not been re-
duced one cent during the past two years
and we pay more taxes every year and |
don't know what becomes of the money. |
Clean out both Administrations, and the
tax payers will be the first to ask for a |