Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1913-12-26
COUNTY TAX LEVY
COULD Be CUT
COUNTY BUDGET is SUBJECT TO
MUCH COMMENT.
County Judge Teal and Commissioner
Wells Give Interviews; Commis-
sioner Petre Silent.

As considerable comment has been
made and numerous questions asked
about the large amount of moneys
that is required to meet the expenses
of Polk county for the year 1914.
The Observer man thought it woul
interest the tax payers and also be
the means of them to be at the meet
ing of the County Comm;ss ones
next Monday and express their orin
ion as to how and where the budget
could be cut, and not wait until later
and then kick. The following is the
opinion of the Commissioners:
That the tax levy for Polk county
as estimated in the printed bulge
for 1914 should be reduced to al least
171a mills, is the opinion Of ConN'r
Judge Teal as expressed when inter
viewed by The Observer.
"That there should be a material
saving l have not the slightest
doubt" declared IT,, County Ju 'ge
"There were numerous cona ious
entering into the preparation Of the
county budget which caused the com
paratively high estimate of ~ Mill :
The court was in no position to do
termine all the exigencies which
might arise and at the same time
could not adequately determine at the
time the budget was prepared insI
where it might lop off expenses here
and there.
~ believe that we can do so nj the
meeting Of the taxpayers which is toI
be held next Monday, when the buig-
ct will be discussed. And it is my
wish that Polk county shall send TO
that meeting a large and representa
tive body of taxpayers, that the
budget may be viewed from all four
corners and comprehensive AMI
searching analysis be made of its
provisions. 1t is my desire and inI
this | am satisfied that | am upheld
by the other members of the court.
to complete a model budget for Polk
county and one which will adequately
care for its needs, while at the same
time it will not be oppressive to the
taxpayers.
"The budget when made showed
figures in excess of my original idea
as to what the budget should be. |
originally thought that We could prob
ably make up budget totaling levy
of IS mills and that would be sutlic-
lent in the estimate. But we were
Immediately confronted by some try
ing conditions. The law provides that
the court cannot expend i'll excess
of the estimated budget more than
10 per cent of such estimated budget.
So it was plainly incumbent upon the
court to make the estimate of suilic-
lent size that we would not find our
selves suddenly cut off at the pocket
during the year and placed in try
ing position.
GAS result the expense of every
office was stretched in the estimate
to meet and cover all emergencies that
might arise. The same thing was
done in the estimate of the general
and incidental fund. So, III order to
make the levy sufficient, it seemed
We were compelled to agree on ~
mills.
"Since the estimate was prepared
and published, | have personally DIS
eussed it with many taxpayers. While
they have been of the opinion, as well
as myself, that the county is in a.
prosperous condition and the taxpay-
ers of the county as a whole are new
er opposed to a reasonable tax, yet
it seems that the high levy of 20
mills would be inadvisable at this
time.
"The state tax levy for this year
is four mills in excess of the D,eeed-
ing year and the total assessed val
uation of the county, including pub
lie service corporations and all
assessed properties, is somewhat less
than last year. With the lowered
assessed valuation it is plain that a
higher levy in mills will be required
to raise a definite sum of money than
the levy in mills required to raise the
same sum of money on a higher as
sessed valuation.
when the budget was prepared
the court was not fully advised as TO
what the state tax would be. Conse-
quently it was necessary TO make tie
estimate of sufficient dimensions to
cover the state tax no matter how
high it might go. In order to cover
the possibilities which were wrapped
up in the state tax, the court was
compelled to overestimate about
5000 and this can be Topped of by
the court when the budget Is finally