Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-09-16
With Threatened Increase of Three or -Four
Mills in State Levy, a Decrease in
Local BUDGETS Is imperative
OLD COMMISSIONERS WRECKED THE COUNTY
On July !, 1908, the County was Out Of Debt,
and on Jan. !, 1911, 1t was 100000 Ia
Debt, and Jan. ], 1913, the Debt
was 0ne-fdlf Milton

the county catches up with it, and
that the names of all persons receiv-
ing county aid be published monthly,
in order that the law requiring per-
sons to care for the INDECENT rela-
tives may be rigidly enforced.
1t does appear that, in view of ex-
listing conditions, the county oficials
would take pride in joining with the
board of commissioners in the effort
to keep down the tax rate this year.
Some of the estimates seem absurd
ly high for a county with the popula-
ton of Chehalis, and it is urged that
representative citizens of the county
scrutinize the estimates carefully and
suggest to the commissioners such
eliminations as they think can be
made.
The truth of the matter is that our
system of county government is COM
bersome and expensive, but we have
it and must do the best we can with
| 1t until it is changed. Once an eQuit-
able assessment Of all property in the
county is obtained the time will not
be far distant when a general demand
will be made for q more simple and
less costly form Of county govern
ment. -,
The City Budget
At the suggestion of Mayor France
mass meeting of the citizens will be
held in the city council chamber next
Friday night, at 8 O'Clock, to consid-
er ways and means to reduce the or
Inmates Of the city. at which time it
is hoped all interested not alone in
reducing their taxes, but in the pro-
gress of Aberdeen-which high taxa
tion threatens-as we'll.
1t may be well to notice that while
the estimated expense for, Aberdeen.
are $24O,397.46, North Yakima, city
of like size estimates the cost of oper-
alton next year at $157,096. This is
under q commission form of govern
ment, it is true, but that city has been
reducing expenses for the past three
years, having levied $207.051 in 1912
and $1S0,44S in 1918. The reduction
was strongly resisted, yet it was &C
complished without sacrificing the ef-
ficiency of the city government. The
Herald would dislike to believe that
Aberdeen Is unable to accomplish
anything that was possible to North
Yakima, or any other city-if the peo-
pie but determine to do 1t.
The Schools Also
AS shown in a communication in
another column of this paper the
school taxes are nearly one-third Of
all taxes paid, a condition of affairs
entirely out Of reason. The annual
report of the county superintendent
shows the cost of maintaining the Alb
erdeen schools to have been $37.46
last year, while the estimates for next
year show sum equal to $45.96 ask
ed for, an increase of $3.50 per pupil,
or $12,75O for an average attendance
of $500.
The public schools Of Spokane are
operated for $705 per pupil, those Of
Tacoma for $5.93 and Portland for
$5.42, SO that it is plainly evident that
something is radically wrong in this
county, although Aberdeen is the most
expensive, Hoquiam operating for
1924, Montesano. $34,33; Elma, $780,
46 and Cosmopolis $2S.O9.