The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-01-18

pom the shoulders of myself or any
Their state officer, but must rest whe'e
belongs, on the county and city au-
horities This must have been evident
It all times to the newspapers and indl
,iduals who have given the subject any
hought, and leads us to believe That
hose who have persistently charged
he increase in amounts paid as taxes
% the enforcement of the law, were,
in so doing, either woefully ignorant OF
the subject discussed or were inten-
tionally trying to deceive the people. l
do not refer of course in this cOnnec-
ton to the dismal croakings of those
whose taxes have the past year been
greatly increased for the sole reason
that during the years proceeding they
had been of the favored few whose
property was assessed at lower figures
than that of their neighbors and thus
imposed their own tax burdens on the
less fortunate in the community who
we're thereby compelled to pay an ex-
cessive amount. The howlings of this
class should sound as sweet music in
the ears Of all right-minded citizens.
Other Bills Presented
81 present to you herewith not only
the main revenue law proposed but sew
eral proposed constitutional amend
ments and a number Of other bills on
revenue matters prepared by the COM
mission. These are all matters requir-
ing your earnest consideration | do
not wish it understood that in present
ing these bills l am advocating their
passage without change, as they are
handed to you perfect in form but with
the expectation you will make such
necessary changes advisable. The ind
pendent bills especially those in regard
to fixing levies and similar matters are
mere suggestions. Some of them in
my judgment require radical changes,
especially so in the matter of municip,
limitation of indebtedness. as dis
/ tinction should be made in liabilities
incurred for ordinary expenses and
these where the amount to be expend
ed is for public utilities to be owned
by the corporation.
ut is a mooted question whether a
constitutional amendment should no
be presented to the people making pos
sible by future legislation the ena
ment of statutes permitting the taxa
ton from railways and similar corpo
rations to be devoted to state pur
poses, with provision for division o
the surplus among the counties. Thu
consideration of this and other matters
of equal consideration can. in my judg
ment, be properly postponed to SOM
succeeding legislation assembly.
Necessary for Prompt Action
The main revenue law should b.
acted upon promptly and the othe
matters involved can be CONSIDERS
later Under the system that wa
} permitted to grow up through years O
violation of the law by which each as
SCISSOR sought to keep as low as pos
sible the valuation of the taxable prop
erty of his county, the levy in the mu
, nicipal subdivisions of some countie
re ached the abnormal figures of an
q s per cent, and at such appalling fig
ures eastern financiers could not he e
: pecter to make investments. especial
: in view of the fact that the law plainl
J demanded full cash valuation. I
J financiers such levies spoke confiscs
: tiCn And practically all the levies i
the various counties looked eXceedingl
| large to new Corners from the olde
states, and there was no more difficu
= task confronting those interested in Il
/, development of the state than explail
ing these high levies with the low val
alton and the substantial prices aske
5 for property. In many cases this &C.
s bination CT causes has proven insu
a nountable.
!. The entire system was an invitatit
Il to bankruptcy and even with thes
10 high levies sufficient funds were NJ
9 raised for the conduct of the bushes
A. of some of the counties, or else II
|. commissioners have been grossly e
II travagant in fixing the sums to be e
n pended for the current year
"This same condition once confrcn
~ ed our neighboring states of Washin
,e ton and Oregon and Sc acute BEGAN
of the differentiation competition in Or
le gon that the taxable property as r
ID turned by the assessors actually deer