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


solutely untenable. 1t is an axiom that
a certain amount is required to main
tain state, county and municipal gov
ernments, and this amount in no wise
depends upon the amount of the as
sessed property. Whether the assessed
value of Idaho this coming year is one
hundred millions or one thousand mil
lions makes not one dollar difference
the amount required to maintain the
state government and state institu-
tons. 1t would affect the tax rate
only. So with counties and municipal
tiles, they are under the same general
rule. True, it has been urged by oppo-
nents of tax reform that the increase
in assessed value in Idaho during the
LAST year has resulted in increased
taxes. 1t is true that in some counties
the amount of taxes paid has been ma
ter;slly increased. Careful inquiry
shows, however, that in no case has
this been the result of carrying out
the cash value system but due to the
counties and the controlling boards of
municipalities taking advantage CT the
increased valuation to raise greatly in
creased amounts for certain purposes.
70 demonstrate this, call attention to
the amounts collected in 1909 and 1910
as compared with 1911 in various coun
/ ties, and also the tax rate for each, of
: such years as shown by the records in
the office of the state auditor.
This table is instructive in many
? ways It seems in Ada county there
: WIS raised for state and county pur-
: poses in 1911 the large sum of $685.
1910 as against $2S9,471.15 in 1909
!, aud $343,O71 90 in 1910 So we find the
: aggregate in 1909 and 1910 is $632, SAB:
10 being only 10 per cent less than the
Z amount raised in 1911, and considering
e the county taxes alone the amount for
It 1911 is practically the same as reased
n the two proceeding years. AS municip;
1 taxes are not included, but have also
d been greatly exceeded, is to be won
4 dered that the taxpayer protests? Can
;e better argument be made in favor OF
Of limitation upon the taxing power c1
county and municipal boards?
it "This record shows that in Bannock
,r Bear Lake, Custer and TwinFalls Their
NJ. Las been a raise of approximately Al
IS Ter cent in 1911 over 1910 for state
e. and county purposes. In Boise, Elmor'
and Lemhi the raise has been between
It's 30 and 80 per cent, while in Canyon i
oh has been 4S per cent, in Kootenai 81
10 PER cent over the 1910 assessment an
it % percent over that of 1909; in Latal
is 5S per cent and in Blaine 81 per cent
rd In Washington county we find that a
ed though Adams county was this yea
is taken from it's former boundaries, sti
oe so per cent more is raised this yea
no from the remaining territory than wa
he raised in the two counties in 1910 an
ar. a trifle more than in 1909. ONEIDA wit
IN a raise of Is per cent, ShohsOne of 2
nd per cent and Owyhee of q per cent
n. make a tolerable fair showing, Will
Bonner, Cassia and Idaho show pract
cally the same as heretofore and tn
-, raise is no greater than the increase
=. state expenses would warrant. FremO
county shows $170569 raised this yea
- as against $25353O, 1909 and $2OS, IS
in 1910, and shows what careful mai
- agement will do for the taxpayers be
eft Nez Perez county, however,
only per cent less than in 1910, a
=. though it's territory was reduced ar
~, necessarily it's proper expenses also,
-. the counties of Clearwater and Lew
49, having been created at your reguls
-. session.
=. bingham county although divide
-. also at your late regular session, sho
=. an entirely different condition, tt
~. levy for 1911 being nearly As per ce
less than in either 1909 or 1910, viii
,s the new county of Bonneville excee
the 1911 amount collected in Bingha
re
:, :. by ga per cent.
"The other new counties created IL
session make a still more creditat
showing, and 1t is source OF gratl
se cation that in every county created
=, -ou. although taxes would naturally
Ugh the first year, the rate is consi
cradle less than in the average of t
~, older counties.
~. "rhat there is something radca
-. wrong in system that permits t
-. tax rate in the several counties
49,. STATE and county purposes to vary fr
l., mills as t is in Fremont to u
,to mills as It is in Lemhi, can hardly
questioned AS the state tax is pract
ally 3 mills only, the fault cannot
~, charged to the state officers. 1t re;
,ro- upau ;'ir county and municipal auth
os- tiles alone, although l regret to S
ma some of them have tried to convey
~, different impression. The need