Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-11-01

4
franchises or all persons, companie
or corporations, owning or cperatin,
or constructing any telegraph or tele
phone lines or railroads either who'll,
or party within the state"
Section 1904 OF the Revised Codes
says:
1.-THE county assessor shall asses,
all property in. and shall collect all
general and special taxes levied in
and for. all cities, towns, and villages
| In his county" etc.
Section 1892 defines the duties OF
the County Board OF Equalization.
THE Board of County Commission
ers Of each county within the state
shall meet on the second Monday In
July of each year to examine the as
sessment roll, and shall equelize the
assessment Of the property OF the
county and OF any city, town or village
or independent school district author
ICED by law to collect revenue as in
this chapter provided, for taxation
within their respective countless" etc.
Section 1706 defines the duties OF
the State Board Of Equalization.
Sec 1905. The State Board shall
throughout the state as follows:
by classes, as shown by the alb
stracts transmitted from the various
counties, county by county; in such
equalization said board shall have
power to increase the total valuation
of any class OF property in the county
as shown by the abstracts from that
county when. in the opinion of the
board the valuation of that class, ap-
pearing in said abstract. is not just
and equal as compared with the valu-
alton Of other classes of property In
that county, or in other counties, be-
cause Of its being less than the valu-
alton, as determined by such COMPARE
son, and the said board shall have
power TO decrease the valuation of
any class Of property, when in the
opinion Of the board, the valuation of
that class of property, appearing in
the abstract is not. just and equal. as
compared with other classes of prop
erty In that county, or in other coun-
ties, because Of its being in excess of !
the true valuation as determined by
such comparison.
Second. The State Board shall /
nave power to add to. or deduct from, |
he aggregate valuation, as shown by
such abstracts, of all property in any
county, such a percentage of such ag-
;regate valuation as may be neces-
'ary, in the opinion of the board, to
establish uniformity and equality of
Valuations among the several counties
# the state"
When this resolution was presented
o the Board. 1 requested that no ac-
ION be taken until full membership
'e present.
In the matter of county taxes. I do
lot think that there is any doubt but
What the commissioners will have to
evy the minimum tax of five mills
or general school purposes have
made a very complete investigation,
nd find from reports of county audi
ors on file that the total of special
nd general taxes for the fiscal year,
valuable, but suppose about the same
ondition exists is $1.S19.O55.9 &c. from
he various sources as follows:
eneral levy $3.50, 1S1. "A
peciai levy 1896. 1908
tate apportionment . 1876, 537.97
crest reserve 12.23s.2O
license 1888, 433. 90
At the end Of the fiscal year, the
lm Of s75O,675. was shown to the
'edit of the school district fund. This
mount deducted from the total re-
sipts would leave an expenditure of {
|. 069,3s0.57 This amount I suppose
as sufficient to maintain scholl-far
as sufficient to maintain schools for ,
lie required number of months as ,
ell as interest on bonded indebted ,,
sss. If the valuation should be in /.
eased to 5000 00e. 900, as some think l
would under the proposed plan. that
ould produce a school tax of SO, OOO-
o. to say nothing of the special v
xes-this is bound to make an ad- r
tional burden on the taxpayer. :
low of one instance where last year, =
e school district maintained their
hool without levying special tax.
ID stin had 81. 600 left. d
Another danger of the proposed t
an is the increased bonding power fl
cities and villages-true. that is O
al government, but how many are g
ere who have not in their own bust !,
SIS. at times created indebtedness, =
itch afterwards becomes burden
me?
II the amendment limiting the bond h
: power of the state to 50. OOO. 600 to p
voted on at the next general cleo d.
n should carry, the danger so far n
state affairs are concerned, would .,
removed, but who can tell what :,
, result will be? -
that the condition. wheth- U.
real or imaginary. is retardlng 81
siness and immigration to this state h1
! creating a condition of unrest and Is
certainty with the citizens that sc
'uld not exist for proper develop hf
mt of the state. am of the opinion a,
t no radical change should be =,
de at this time.
w. L. CLIFFORD.
tie
Hioh-CsHfe pusboar< M.r IN