The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-01-17
THE COST OF GOVERNMENT

come so great that property owner
cannot bear the burden. Governe
Haines recommends that the legisl;
ture exercise the greatest care in tn
expenditure of money. He intend
insisting that all departments of tn
state government be conducted a
economically as possible. All tax
payers will commend the position
Governor Haines has taken. The,
want their local officers to follow tn
example set by the Governor and tn,
legislature. AS the amount of none,
expended by local officers is over ter
times as much as that spent by the
state the greatest saving san be made
at home. The people who want to
cut down the cost of government will
have to look to the commissioners.
school trustees and city councilmen.
The Caldwell taxpayer pays $3.50 on
the 500 for municipal government;
$l.Hs on county; $500 for schools
and only S 625 for state government.
In all likelihood there can be little
saved on the schools The taxpayer
takes pride in the schools of his
district. He wants good, substantial,
well lighted, we'll heated and we'll ven
tilated school houses. He insistes
upon getting the best teachers he can.
The county tax is divided as follows:
current expenses, $625; county school
$50; road $40 and bridges SIS. The
road fund is entirely inadquate for
the needs of the county; the bridge
and county school tax cannot be re-
duced at the present time. There re-
mains only the current expense fund
which could be reduced. The total
valuation of Canyon County is up
wards of $32,OOO,OOO. giving us pro-
perty for taxation purposes of about
$lz,OOO.OOO. At the rate of $.625 on
the 500 we would raise about $4,000.
OF course there are exemptions to be
deducted from the above figures.
However the fees collected by the
different Offices will more than offset
the exemptions. They will probably
make the revenue raised and expended
BY the county at nearly 100000 per
annum. That amount is entirely too
much to pay. A thorough investiga-
ton into county methods would prob
ably show where considerable sum
OF the amount could be saved. To
point out the places where such a
saving could be made would require
careful painstaking search through
the records and the different Offices.
The cost of municipal government
IN Caldwell is nearly as much as that
OF state, county and school combined
The valuation of the property in this
city is about three millions and a !
quarter. This gives us property
valuation for taxation purposes of |
about $l,30oooOOO, which at the rate
OF $3.50 would raise $4,000. From
the amount is 10 be deducted the ex.
emptions. At least $4,000 is raised
by direct taxation. In other words
it costs the city of Caldwell that
amount to run the city hall, Chief
Hodson and one automobile. These
three items are important and wei,
worth good price but it does seem
as though saving might be made
somewhere. When it is remembered
that the people of Caldwell have te
pay for sidewalks and pavements
sewers and city water in addition. and
sprinkling too if they have anv, the
burden OF taxation becomes apparent
For measure of fire and police pro-
lection, handsome city hall and a
free library, the taxpayers are called
upon to raise $4,000 per year.
To accomplish economy to any
great extent there must be cutting
Town all along the line. The legis-
lature and the state departments must
yet the example. This has been prom |
seq The county commissioners
IND school trustees and above all the |