Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-06-29
(By James N. Floyd

How can the heavy burden of taxa
ton be reduced for the property own
ers of Boise is one of the big ques-
tons Of the present time and one which
the citizens here feel should be solved
and solved before the levy is made by
those to whom they entrusted the oper-
alton of the municipal corporation.
Not only are citizens here paying a
heavy general tax. but in addition many
are obliged to pay special taxes, such
as sidewalk, sewer and paving until
the burden has become so great that
the demand has become general from
all property owners for the city Off
Gals to slash expenses numerically
in order that their taxes may be low
cred.
The salary list of city employees
amounts to approximately $500 month
| ly or 100000 per year. Through the
elimination of several city officers
which Boise affords but which other
cities Of its size do without and the
combining of several offices, the sal
airy expenses of the city can be cut
$12,660 per annum.
The list of officers which can be en-
tirely eliminated and where offices can
| be combined are as follows:
City nurse, SIS per month; city treas
urer $50 per month; city physician,
SIS per month; six policemen and two
city detectives, $40 per month. BY
combining the work of the municipal
court judge and the desk sergeant,
saving of SIS per month can be made.
| Through the elimination of the office
of chief of police and putting the duties
of that office entirely upon the head of
the department of public safety. saw
ing of $3.50 per month can be made
The salary of the city building In
spector can be cut from $125 to 500
| per month and salaries In the city
| clerks office can be cut from $50 and
| sS5 per month each to $75, a saving
of $50, thus effecting a total saving
of $1055 monthly.
Through the motorizing of the equip
ment of the Central fire station, 1t Is
proposed to do away with the East End
station, which will save 1871 month
and it Is also believed that when the
central station Is motorized that No. 2
station can also be eliminated, which
would save $596.50 monthly or a total
of $967.50 month and SLIGO yearly.
By making such a move the city gov
eminent could effect saving to the
| taxpayers of Boise $24,210 annually in
salaries and regular expenses alone and
by SO doing service In the city would
not be crippled although It Is true THAI
the employees would be required to do
more work, or the amount that is done
by the employees OF any big corporation.
1t Is true that when anyone has men
toned changes in the fire department
| there has been a general objection
| from those most interested that any
such move would increase the rate of
insurance in the city, but with the CEN
trail station equipped with motorized
| apparatus, that would be eliminated
and the service would not be crippled.
Further. the cry is always set up that
| since the department has been made
| SO large insurance rates have been
lowered. but an inquiry from taxpay-
ers who have owned property in the
residence district for the 10 or ~ years
/ has shown that they are paying the
same rate now as they did 10 years ago
when there was but one station while
now they have the extra burden Of
1 taxation thrust upon them requiring
the expensive upkeep of several sta
tions An investigation shows that
Boise has the largest fire department
of any other city of its size in the
country.
i 1t. is admitted by those with whom
the city tax question has been dis
cussed that the above changes would
mean a radical departure from the old
form Of city government, but they argue
that conditions require radical action
tp secure lower taxes and that some