Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1908-11-27
J. R. RUPLY
TELLS OF TAXES
Writes Instructive Article on
Where the Tax Money
Goes.

During the last campaign and dur
ing the seasons Of the year when the
taxes are being paid in many COM
plants are being made that the taxes
are getting higher and the general i'm
preston always seems to be that the
County Commissioners are to blame
for the conditions and many accuse
them of being incompetent or dishon-
est or both While such matters are
usually discussed in the papers only
during a campaign or prior to an cleo
ton, we will try and show that many
people are not we'll informed as to the
facts why the taxes are getting higher.
The County Auditor makes a full
and complete statement of the County
business each year, which report is
mailed or can be had at his office and
which report is the only reliable state
ment to be had An accurate opinion
can only be arrived at by comparing
this report with similar statements
Of former years, comparing item for
item. | find that it is very seldom
that taxpayer reads it OF makes such
a comparison. But the average person
simply knows that last year his taxes
were so much, and this year so much
more, without investigating the cause.
Each statement from the Treasurer s
Office and all tax receipts show the
description of the real property, the
valuation, levy for the state, county,
city; if located in an Incorporated
town, special school district. and
road district.
Taking each item separately it
ought to be known that the state
officers in making the levy for state
purposes, simply notify each county
how much money the state demanded,
and knowing the assessed valuation of
all property in the county, the levy is
made to raise the amount called for.
Comparing the year 10000, we find
that Whitman county levied for state
purposes the sum of 500, 737; in 1907
08 it had increased to $l93, 068. The
same years the different municipalities
levied $28, 665 and $56, l15 respectively.
The greatest increase, however,
shows in special school district taxes.
In 190O-'0l, the different districts
levied either by vote of the taxpayers
or through their local school boards,
$38, 99l, and in 1907 '08 $3.50, SO. Now
in neither the state, city, or special
school district taxes have the commits
sioners anything whatever to do with
the disbursing Of the money, the same
being credited by the county treasurer
to the state or the city or the school
district where the property may be
located.
The amounts, therefore, over which
the commissioners have no control are:
1900 'Ol 1907 'O8
State tax, 800, O,737. $l98.O68.
City, 28. Cos. 56.ll5.
School district, 38.99l. 16O, SO.
Total, l58, 1893. 4O9, 1852.
This represents an increase of $751;
1863, or nearly l60 per cent.
In the same year the taxes levied
for county purposes were SAG, ,696,
and $l79, 426, or an increase Of only %
per cent.
One peculiar feature is that the levy
for current expense was $50, $50, and
deducting therefrom $4,000, which
sum was used 10 pay interest at five per
cent. on the bonded debt of $500, 900,
all of which has been paid since, $780,
536 and this year $50, 456, or a trihe
less. AS practically all the running
expenses, such as salaries, the expense
of Justice and the superior courts, the
maintenance of poor and destitute
Continued to Page Four)