The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-03-11
COUNTY AFFAIRS
\ Comprehensive Statement
by Commissi
y. M. Finnie

To the Editor: Allow me through
your paper to answer a few questions
asked by some of the tax payers con-
corning the financial condition of Lake
county, especially in reference to the
incr eased county levy for the year
1913:
When | became a member OF the
board of county commissioners some
seven years ago. Lake county had a
bonded Indebtedness of $25, 600 draw
ing interest at AZ per cent -$l125.O 90 a
year. Since that time the board of
county commissioners have paid OF
$40, 900 of these bonds before matur-
ity, saving the county an annual in
terest of $3.50. These bonds are pay
able in 1926 with option of paying
same in 1915, and it is my opinion that
.he remaining county bonds of $15, 600
should be taken up in July, 1915, saw
ing the county the further sum of 1913
annually, the interest the county is
now paying on the said bonds. Ii this
bond of $15, 900 is not taken up in 1918
it will have to run another ten years
before it can he paid off, which means
1919 interest per year or 81, $50. With
the increased levy this can be done
without any special levy for the pur-
pose. To offset the interest on the
bonds the county board in 1910 deposit
ed all stale county funds in nine banks,
all in Lake county, at 3 per cent in
Na.lot YNnxnhln IN nlnnthlV EfAtP-
ments. Each bank puts up a surety
| bond according to the amount of mon
ey they receive. bringing to u county
] more than 81, 100 in interest each and
every year. BY this method we cave
the taxpayers every year considerable
more than the interest OF the bonds
| Besides as one person remarked, We
have spoiled the Office of county treas
urer-that there is nothing in the office
any more. This is the first time To
the county has received any Interest
on the uoney deposited in the banks
Would it not sound good tc the tax
payers, Out of Debt2 +
Our taxes perhaps are a little high
err this year. Some of our funds raj
a little low SO we had to meet al
emergencies. With the adoption o.
the 1911 road law by the voters o.
Lake county at the general election
in 1912, it became the duty of thu
board of county commissioners Il
make a county levy for road pur
poses. The mothers pension law re
quires another additional levy. And
Lake county, like every county in thu
state, must now pay a heavy penalty
for the freak ideas evolving from thu
fertile brain of Dick Richards, and o.
which his primary law is a sample.
/ also wish to state that the affairs
of our county have been conducted OF
the same economical plan that is exer
cised in any private business corpora
ton. Claims against the county ar
not paid unles, first authorized b,
the board and proven to be a prope
charge against the county. Tn
records of the auditors Office will SHOW
that overcharges and fictitious claim
amounting to thousands OF dollars hav
been rejected by the board of count,
l cOlumlSslOuels, anu loI Tue Iednou tuo
the county board has invariably stoo'
by the best interest of the county, a
against that Of private interests. Th
board has from time to time had to en-
dure severe criticism from persons VIII
have been unable to make a raid on tn
county treasury.
have been asked why we have no
paid off this bond with 80 muc
money on hand. In checking up til
treasurer's Office as we do in July an
January. and should have $2S, 900 O
$50, 900 balance on hand. 1t doe
look like a lot of money, but stop an
think. This money, OF part OF 1t
belongs to the state, county, town
ship, cities, towns and all schools
which amounts to several thousand
IL you will study and understand tn
t~reasurer's quarterly report you ca
find out about how much belongs TO th
county. There is always some extr
expense that we do not know Of
looming all the time. 1t takes a lc
of money to run q county, but in neal
ly every instance we have received on
hundred cents on the dollar. We hav
tried and are still trying to have NOR
ey enough to pay off this bond withor
letting it run another ten years. an
still keep the county funds all in goo
shape. With these and other fac
1 which / have not space to mention,