The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1911-03-17
A COMMON BURDEN.

The county treasurer is not having
a supremely happy time at this season
of the year-and this season in parti-
cular-when taxes are due and pa yable.
Every mail brings him walls, protests
and curses. He is especially unfortun-
ate among the county Office holders, as
his duty is to send out notices of taxes
due. and into his hands the taxes are
paid. The assessment last year in in
stances was raised, the tax levied was
oppressive, and consequently when a
man is called upon to pay the sum he
is touched for, especially on real estate,
he feels that "A strong and bitter pro-
test is due, and he does not hesitate to
enter the same. People forget that
the blame for the misery of being
fieeced does not properly rest upon the
shoulders of the treasurer, and in the
heat of outraged feeling over a legal
lied robbery they not infrequently
hold the luckless officer responsible.
This is unjust to an estimable gentle
man and efficient public servant. The
law regulating his duties provides that
he collects taxes, and to use the ut
most diligence in SO doing. He has no
power to add a mill to or subtract
mill from the totals set down against
the name of property holder. He
submits to the fusilade of denunciation
with much patience, and treats all
having business with him with due
courtesy. He is bameless in the mat
ter, and should not be held accountable
in any way for the pecuniary burden
all are called upon to bear in common.
Everybody admits that prevailing
taxes are outrageously excessive, and
smarting under the enforced drain
sight is lost to causes leading up to
maximum taxation other than those
arising from Indifference, or extrava-
gance, on the part of those who dis
burse public funds and have authority
TO fix the levy. All of us are prone to
criticise the county commissioners,
where, indeed, the fault largely rests,
if fault there be, but that body is far
from being altogether to blame. This
Is an age OF extravaganza, both in the
expenditures of the private individual
and organized governing bodies. Little
heed is paid to economy, and things
that people lived very happy without
a few years ago are now demanded,
pfllacc of Mnpncxon n
rule nowadays, when people or govern
ing bodies want anything they do not
wait until they have the cash, but dis
count the future by going in debt. A
few of the causes for high taxation
can be pointed out without the neces-
sity of reflection upon individuals.
One of the factors in the increased
taxation was raise in the state levy
from 5.35 mills in 1909, to $50 mills for
1910. This means a very material in
crease in the amount that must be re-
mitted to the state. In February, 1910,
$53, ,2l3. 4S in taxes were collected and
S4S6S.34 remitted to the state. This
past February only S25, 1925. II were col
lected, less than half the sum Of year
ago, and of this amount $342S "a was
turned over to the state. In passing
it may be said that it looks rather
gloomy for any reduction of the county
debt this year with falling of OF 80
per cent in the tax receipts.
Again the assessed valuation OF land
was raised last year. Possibly fruit
lands were not raised to anything near
the price asked and received, but the
income and no great prospective in
crease, was elevated. Local officers,
we believe. are not responsible for
this raise.
Another reason is the expense of
new bridges, of the most costly kind,
road work, usually done in such a man.
ner that it has to be Immediately done
over again, rock crusherS, etc. PeO-
pie can question the Judgment of the
commissioners In acceding to the clam
ors of localities for expensive improve
ments, but in such cases it must be
remembered that "A certain portion Of
the populatian is as much to blame for
squandering public funds as the Off
cials. a demand is made for certain pub
lie expenditures, where no actual ne
cessity exists for such expenditures,
and without counting the costs, or the
hardship IL is to work on the taX-pay-
ers, such pleas are granted. While it
may be a lack of business acumen on
the part of the commissioners to lend
an ear to such appeals, the whole fault
should not rest on them. ..
Then again school districts are not
content to make haste slowly in the
matter of buildings and equipments.
Naturally school trurtees wish to pro-
vide the district with the best means
and conveniences in their power, and