Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1911-05-25

~ ~ IL. lDAI1O WV IN i
other property has been assessed as
high as 60 cents on the dollar.
All that any citizen needs to satisfy
himself in regard to this, and also to
satisfy himself that the same condi-
tion has prevailed in other counties
than Ada county, is to take the as
sessment rolls Of the last year or of
any preceding year and carefully 60
through the lists of property of the
different taxpayers and he will find
that the assertions that l have made
are absolutely correct.
This is an intolerable condition of
affairs and one that must be remedied
and remedied at once, and no man
who is not tax dodger, who has not
had pecuniary and personal benefit
from the failure to enforce the law as
it stands, can reasonably object to
the course | have urged and propose
to have adopted, unless his intelli-
gence has been obscured by the stren-
uous arguments and absolute mis-
statements made to the contrary by
some Of the newspapers Of the state.
Papers Dodged Taxes.
The two newspapers that l have
mentioned have been shown by an
inspection of the tax rolls of Ada
county to have been actual recipients
of the benefits derived from under
valuations. AT least the statements
that have been made in that regard
have not to my knowledge been dis
puted by either of these papers.
1t has been stated that | did not
attempt while the legislature was in
session to have change made in the
laws in this regard. This statement
is entirely incorrect and the men who
have made such statements so know
if they have kept informed in regard
to public matters.
Asked for Commission.
insisted in my biennial message,
and followed up the suggestion there
in by constant insistence upon the
members of the legislature that a
revenue commission be appointed to
report to the next legislature so that
we would have new revenue law
adopted that would do away with the
absurdities and inequalities of the
present one.
| l supposed up to the last two weeks
of the session that this suggestion
would be adopted and had assurances
from many members that they would
act upon it. l labored under this i'm
preston when the assessors had their
annual meeting here. If such a COM
mission had been appointed, | think
we could have safely trusted the rev.
enue reforms to it.
7 Wanted Amendments.
| When | found towards the close Of
the session that a revenue commits
sion would not be appointed, | ur.
: gently insisted on resolution to
amend the constitution, fixing the
amount of bonded Indebtedness OF
the state at certain figure, instead
of at a percentage of the assessed
valuation of the state.
In urging this matter upon the
members, | told many of them thai
my reason for it was that | proposed
to insist upon full valuation of thu
property of the state aud do away
,. with the evils that have afflicted III
,, for years on account Of a high ia,
rate and low valuation, but coult
: not do so unless a constitutions
amendment was submitted to th
people that would prevent the mex
legislature from increasing the bond
ed indebtedness of the state by man,
millions of dollars, which it coul'
:. do if the full valuation system wa
carried out, and it was by reason Q
my arguments on this matter tha
the constitutional amendment wa
: adopted by the legislature and will
9 undoubtedly be accepted by the pee
$ pie at the next election.
e Calls on Citizens.
n call on every law-abiding cit
zen of the state to actively assist tn
officers entrusted with revenue ma
tiers in carrying out the law. Goo
!. citizenship requires this on the pal
. of all.
!. The taxpayer who has heretofoI
: paid less than his share of the burde
Of taxation has no right to expet
4 Al r,k,,-o kn ,ys1l ko