The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-09-25
GOVERNOR HA|MES MAKES PLAIN FINANCIAL
CONDITIONS OF STATE AND REASONS THEREFOR
MAIN EFFORT DIRECTED TO BRINGING BUSINESS
BETTER BUSINESS sTANDAR p-oPEN LETTER
OF IDAHO LEVY.

Governor Haines does not intend to
sit still and permit adverse critics tc
charge his administration with extrav-
agance; with being false to its profess
sions of economy and retrenchment.
From the beginning the governor has
prided himself on bringing the bust
ness of the state to a better business
standard; to the establishment of sys-
TEN and better management in every
department Of the state government.
In an open statement to the people
of Idaho on the state tax levy, issued
on Friday, Governor Haines submits
facts and figures that will be of in
terest to every taxpayer in the state.
In this signed statement he says:
Why Statement Is Made.
"The announcement by the board Of
equalization of the state levy and the
amount which will have to be raised
this year by direct taxation from the
various counties, has been made the
for a declaration that the present ad-
ministration has failed to redeem It's
promises in the matter of giving the
people an economical, business admin
istration of state affairs.
ut is pointed out that the board Of
equalization is raising through direct
taxation $24,23S,73 more this year than
was similarly raised in 1912, and an
attempt is being made to use this fact
as proof of extravaganza and breach of
faith on the part of the state officers
People Should Have the Facts.
1T is my belief that the people
should be fully informed on this matter
so that they may know the exact status
of the question and be able to decide
for themselves whether or not the state
government has been economical and
businesslike in its operations. 1t Is
true that direct taxes have been in
creased by the amount named, but it
is also true that those who have at
tempted to make capital out of this
fact have not been fair enough to give
the reasons for this increase or the
facts from which the reasons might be
deduced.
1T is well known fact that the last
legislature considerably extended the
operations of the state government and
that the board of equalization was
forced to provide for meeting many ex-
penses which heretofore have not been
a charge against the state
What Legislators Did.
"For instance, the legislature. at the
peop)e,s wish. 1t must be presumed,
created public utilities and tax COM
mission for whose expenses during the
current year we were forced TO pro-
vide $40 900 not previously required. Il
also created state board of education,
for which we have had to provide $lo,-
600 for current expenses. ut appropri-
ated $500 to pay for silver service
for the battleship Idaho, an obligation
coming from the previous administra-
ton. and 800, 900 for the expenses OF
state exhibit at the Panama-Pacihc
exposition, all of which under the
terms of the law must be avaiiaoie
within the next year.
Bio Additional Burden.
Taking these items together, 1t Will
be seen that we were forced to provide
1857, 500 to meet expenses which were
new and unusual, but which were eth
er demanded by the people or incurred
in such manner as to relieve the pres
ent state administration of response
bility therefor. If we had not peeh
compelled to raise this large amount
of new revenue, instead of calling Tor
$2423S73 more than last year we
should have been able to call for $l33,-
261.28 less
Only Part Of tho Story.
"But even this does not tell all the
story The legislature, owing to the
growth of our institutions, and the IN
creased cost Of maintenance, found IL
necessary to considerably increase the
concentrations therefor. 1t Is presun-
ed that these increased appropriations
were all approved by the critics OF the
legislature, because at the time tney
severely criticised that body. or more
particularly the senate, for defeating
bond issues involving many thousands
Of dollars for engagements at these
institutions.
"For the capitol building and the
grounds and for the penal and cnarlt-
able institutions, the legislature ap-
nropriated $4,000 more for the bien-
NAL period than was appropriated N
1911. Similarly It appropriated Tor
orr educational institutions $177,o4S'2o
more than in 1911. Half of this IN
creased amount must. of course. De
made available for the current year
and the board Of equalization was thus
forced to raise this year for our state
institutions $131,O241O more than was
raised last year
Mako Both Ends Meet.
"If now we add the last named
amount to the $157.50O which, as IS
shown above, 1t was necessary to raise
to meet new and unusual expenses, II
will be seen that the board of equaii-