Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-12-05

Last Saturday Governor Haines
sent a communication to Axel P.
Ramstedt, president of the state tax
commission, in which he asks that
the commission make thorough in
vestigation to determine how much
revenue is raised for state, county.
municipal and highway district pur-
poses; how much is the bonded debt
of each; how the taxes collected are
distributed, and above all else what
can be done to tighten the burden
of taxes that the people are now re-
quired to carry? A report covering
all the points suggested is asked for
by January 15 in order that steps
may be taken to correct any evils
that may be uncovered. The com
munication in part is as follows:
The most important question in
the last campaign was the question
of taxation. All parties were COM
mitted to the strictest economy in
public expenditures and the success
full party promised to do all in its
power to bring about reduction in
taxation thruout the state. This
promise has been made good insofar
as economy in state expenditures is
concerned, and, as a result of the
study given this matter, we are now
prepared to point out a method
thru which a substantial reduction
in individual assessments can and
must be brought about.
1t is clearly evident that in or
der to bring about such lowering
of tax levies as will materially re-
duce individual assessments it is
necessary to enlist the active in
terest and cooperation of every
taxpayer in the state of Idaho.
Every man who pays taxes should
know why he pays them, and the
purposes for which the money so
paid is to be used.
He should know the part which
goes to the state and how it is there
applied; the part which goes to the
county and how that is used; the
part which goes to his city, town or
village and whether or not it is
properly or economically expended
and finally the part which goes to
his road and school districts, and
whether the same is expended with
the idea of giving the taxpayer full
value for the outlay which he is
allied upon to make. In other
words, the taxpayer should be just
as fully informed at all times with
regard to the handling of these de-
tails of public business as he is con-
cerning the details of his own pri-
vate business. He should watch the
tax-spending end of governmental
machinery quite as carefully as he
does the tax gathering end.
The publicity and interest which
is necessary with reference to local
expenditures, have tried to bring
about with reference to state ex.
penditures. The present admins.
tration has been most careful in its
supervision of public expenditures
and it must appear to all who have
read the quarterly reports submitted
by the various departments that VIZ
have made in each case either sub
stantial. reduction in expenses or al
improvement or enlargement in tn,
services rendered.
But in addition to practicinf
care and economy in the use O
money appropriated we must seel
to have the people themselves exer
else greater supervision over thos,
bodies which have been intrustet
with power to levy taxes. We mus
ask them also to analyze CAREFUL,
the separate sources from which tn
various items in their tax bills arise
and to fix in their minds the pro
portion of their assessments whic
go to the support of the state, tn
county, the city or village, the roa
district and the school district.
In general they will find ths
their state tax is small in compai
ison with the other items, and tbs
by far the largest items comes CON
from their school. and road distric
and their city or village taxes