Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-06-27
The Taxpayers Standpoint


West Coast Lumberman, was writing
the following editorial. that appeared
IN the current number of tina. valua.
Die Journal, there appears no doubt
that 1t was Chehalis county he had
b mind:
Public officials as a class do
not seem to give the taxpayer his
right standing. They seem to
forget that he is part OF the gov.
eminent, and very important
part. Public officials are prone
to gloat over the fact that re.
ceipts from taxes are unusually
large and that they are growing
One might be lead to conclude
that these public officials have
In their minds a wrong concep-
ton of the source from which
these moneys come. Not long ago
. cruise was made of the stand
ing timber in a certain county on
the Coast. The cruise cost about
seventy thousand dollars, but the
officials seemed to think this was
oil right, because through this
cruise the taxes in that county
could be raised several times
that amount. This analysis sim.
ply means the taxpayers had
been forced to spend seventy
thousand dollars in order that
many more thousand could be
taken from them. The mind Of
the public official seems to be
geared to a different movement
after he leaves the ranks Of pri.
vate citizenship"
The tax levying authorities will dc
veil to bear in mind that the people
of this county secured this expensive
cruise Of timberlands, after years o.
unsuccessful effort, for the sole pur
pose Of eQualizing the burden OF gov
0rnmental expense, and not to permit
and added load of taxation to be plac
Cd upon them. They believed thai
for years certain lands in the county
we're escaping the payment of theil
just dues, and that the owners were
In the practice of debauching the
county elections for the purpose o.
continuing their immunity from the
payment of their just proportion o
the public expense.
The cruise has been made, and the
assessors Office is in possession o
more accurate information concern
ing this class of property than an,
other on the tax rolls. Any neglec
Or failure to list this property at ;
less valuation than the 40 per cen
basis, upon which the assessment wa.
made this year, will be strenuousl,
resisted by the Taxpayers association
Q branch of which will be duly or
ganized in every voting precinct il
the county before the meetings o
the board of equalization. This as
=. 0ociation means to work no hardshi,
on any class of property. nor does i
suggest any reprisals for past offense'
Of the timber barons, but it does meal
that, so far as it is possible, ever!
piece of taxable property in the coun
ty shall be assessed upon an abso
lutely equal basis.
When this is accomplished, and thu
assessed valuation is largely increas
cd, it will be the care OF the associa
ton that the tax levy is proportionate
" reduced. The cost of the cruise
and all other legitimate expenses O.
the county can be met with a much
bower tax levy and the total state
and county taxes collected can bt
vastly less than for the past few
years.
The law requiring the taxing bod
les Of cities and counties to publish
estimates of expenses for the coming
year-that has so far been ignored in
Chehalis county-will be enforced, OF
the association will attend to the
prosecution of the offending officials
In seeking a reduction Of taxes, the
duty Of the public should not be lost
sight Of. The authorities are FREE
Quently beset by demands for expendi-
lures greater than their ability to
meet, and often those demands are
made by the loudest compliments
about high taxation. Strict compli-
ance with the law requiring estimates,
and keeping within the limit of them
would give legal reasons for refusing
to honor such demands, but the cit-
Gems should exercise care in signing
petitions for expenditure OF public
funds carelessly.