The searchlight., 1912-01-05
COUNTY DIVISION
Will Cut Down Taxes and 0lve
the New County Better
Roads and Bridges

lSPiuion Is SO apPICaOIe 10 Conut'
tions in the proposed Gateway
proposition that the Searchlight
publishes it in full. For "Cnou-
teau County" read VALLEY Coan-
ty" and for "Blaine County" read
Gateway County" and you will
have clear idea of conditions as
they now exist in Eastern Valley
County:
The tax payers Of Chouteau
county have found this year that
their taxes are again higher than
ever and naturally many of them
are asking what the effect Of coun-
ty division would be on their tax
rates. In last weeks issue we re-
ferred TO the ever increasing diff.
Guilty Of administering a county
government over an area twelve
times as large as the state Of
Rhode Island. A study of the
situation will show that the better
service that will result from a
more compact county will be Sc
cured with material reduction in
taxes. In the first place it is found
thruout the state that the smaller
counties are being run at a less
rate OF taxation than the larger
and more populous ones. A study
OF the revenues of Chouteau coun-
tv also shows the possibilities OF
saving to Blaine county by the
separation.
An examination OF the records
showed recently that the proposed
Blaine County territory has an as
sessed valuation Of $6, 900, 600.
The rate Of the county levy for
this year is 1914 mills. In addition
there is a tax of $2. 90 a head for
road purposes and a tax of $2. 90
a head for poor tax. A rate OF I3H
mills on the valuation would yield
$8I, 900. The two dollar road and
poor tax would yield about $Io,-
600 il not more. There would be
$9I, 900 to run the county on.
Does any man believe for a min.
ute that Blaine Co. can not be run
Tor thousands OF dollars less than
that.
1t cost Choutean county. a third
class. this year $45, 500 for salaries
OF officers and deputies, not count
ing the sherif's mileage and trav-
cling expenses. Blaine county
would BE- sixth class county and
the salary list would be SI4, 900.
That is less than third Of the
Chouteau county expenses.
1t cost Chouteau county this
year for roads and bridges S74..
65S, or adding the salaries OF the
surveyor and deputies, $50, 900.
The four mill road and bridge levy
in Blame county and the poll tax
would yield about sag. 900. more
than one-third Of our share OF the
road and bridge cost OF Chouteau,
whereas the expenses of roads and
bridges in Blaine county will not
be one third OF the whole, so that
there would be a chance to cut the
tax rate there. Blaine county has
nine big bridges already built. The
bridge building in Chouteau coun-
ty in the future will be heaviest
west Of Havre on the high line and
in the vicinity Of Fort Benton
among the big colonies OF new
people along the streams there.
Blaine county will be the least ex
pensive to run in the matter OF
road work and it is our advantage
to cut off before we are called upon
to help pay the cost in the Hill
and Chouteau county portions.
The care Of the sick and poor in
Chouteau county cost this year ov.
er sac, 300. Did Blaine county
furnish one-third Of the inmates oi
the expensive poor farm1 Decd
edly not. The Blaine county sec
ton will have less expense in tina,
score than either Of the two Other
sections.
I The district and justice court ex