The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-06-04
The Only Way To
Reduce Taxation

and rates Bingham with valuation Of
S13,3SS.1l7, as the eleventh county in
point OF valuation in the state. Table
twelve Q2), page twenty (20), which
by the way, are compiled from the
figures of 1912, shows that Bingham
County is about tho fourteenth in
point of expenditures for county gov.
eminent, and was more economicall,
administered than any county in the
state with ten million or less OF
value; and as the year 1913 shows ex.
penditures of nearly two thousand
dollars less than the year 1912, we
may apply the comparison with equal
force TO that year.
The road and bridge fund, l al
lese, is one Of the chief causes for
high taxes. The expenditures have
steadily increased fer some years past
and were higher last year than ever
before in the history of the County,
amounting to over $4,000, and il
the county commissioners had listen
cd favcrably to all requests and de-
mands. it might have been nearly
doubled, and this is not surprising
when you recall that for about fiji.
teen years past every paper in the
land and every lecturer has been
busily building up the good road senti
ment, in season and out Of season;
there has been no let-up on the good
roads talk. The tax payers adopted
the idea as their own and have spent
money with lavish hand. The re.
suit is a cause 'of pride to ever,
citizen, but none the less costs lots
OF money. When we realize that it
is conceded that our county as a
whole has the best roads of any
county in three states, Utah, Idaho
and Montana, and practically all of
dhls achieved in five years, we can
scarcely feel the burden as to our
taxes, even though it is as real as
any other part of that burden. Then
we should take into account the ad.
ded demands of the state upon us for
cash to meet the expenses of the var.
fous commissions and offices created
by the three last sessions of the lesis.
lature All of them l believe on the
demands of the voters of the state.
All OF them cost money and the mo-
ney must be raised by adding to our
tax levy Then we have enjoyed for
some years past the luxury of a di
rect primary law. The question Of
whether it is benefit or net is still
open. but that it is expensive, we all
admit.
The county officers once got free
transportation on tho railroad. It is
not permitted any more, and, while
the enactment may have a beneficial
effect en- the morals of the officers,
1t at least costs the state and
the county lots of money, which re-
quircs an addition to the yearly lew.
The school districts of the whole
staaa have been from year to year
bonding for school houses and furni-
ture' Each of those bonds adds to
the sum total to be raised by taxa
ton. Please examine carefully the
various funds of the county and note
this fact, that the current expense
fund is the only fund that has not
grown from year to year; that has
remained practically constant from
'the time ct the low tax up to the
nigh tax OF the present And yet it
is the only fund that is affected by
the charge of graft and extravagance.
the cause alleged by my friend, and
fear by many of my fellow citizens,
as the reason for high taxation. Who
will say that the various causes as
herein set forth have not furnished
legitimate grounds for higher taxes.
who, after studying the tax commits.
sfoners' report and the report of our
county auditor which shows a record
OF economy in expense for the year
1913, would claim or assert the
charge of graft has any application
to any official of the county govern.
ment?
The County of Bingham has the
reputation in the state Of being well
governed and its laws as well en-
forced as any county ,of the state.
Various reports show that it is gov.
erned for less money. than any other
county 'of equal size, Our9sroads are
said to be the best of those of any
county in three states. Our finan-
cial conditions as sound and the fl.
nances as ably looked after. The
taxes are no higher, and that no ac-
ton of any county official is even
a contributing cause in increasing
the taxes.
l allege that the high taxes are
purely the result of the peoples de-