The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-01-02
REDUCING THE TAXES.
CHAPTER Sir

Chapter Sir
The FIVE chapters or articles preceding this one de-
voted to discussion Of taxes levied for state institutions and
tax questions in general In taking the problems of con
tv taxes it is necessary make general statements
about county government which the average man and
have overlooked and which should be borne in mind to get
correct views. =, . ;taa41.
The board of three county commissioners, assisted BY the
clerk annd the county attorney handle the most OF the
expenditures of county money and helped or hndered
somewhat by the other departments sheriff, assessor and col
ecto probate Judge school superintendent probation officer
justices of the peace and road ne laws OF the
state provide authority do certain things and prohibit their
doing certain Others Considerable scope given the COM
mssioners to enable them take prompt action in times of
calamity emergency and when this power abused there
is apt to be an agitation have their powers curtaed so that
questions involving great expense may first be submitted to
the people for ratification and this delays
involves the expense of special elections and the rank and
file of the voters do inform themselves carefully the
subject before voting the decision OF the people depends
very largely upon who edits their newspapers who are the
speakers that appear among them while the campaign is in
progress The question Of how much scope to give commits
sones or school always debatabe and the
who insists upon crtang them only invites the losses at
tendan upon taking the other horn of the dilemma, SO it
vain to look for relief any different adjustment of such
matters.
Everybody comedies that certain amount of expense
necessary to maintain the county government and the matter
of employing enough people do the work. including among
the actual workers the officers elected for the heads of the de-
partments is not debatable matter If officer is elected
to fill position and to do the work of the Office and draws
salary for it and employs deputy to do the work and the
county allows pay for the deputy ALSO then there matter tor
investigation But the principal subject tor ana
study in the tax question the appropriations made
for things that are needed but which may not be
necessary or justifabe under existing conditions Ii
delegation of people, mostly heavy tax payers,
appear before the board and ask for appropra-
lions for county fairs and such delegations seems to repre-
sent all parts of the county, the board feels disposed do
about what the delegation asks If dozen other deega
lions appear and ask for the building of roads and brdg
es in various localities and each delegation offers to
psh by private subscription large amount OF the proposed
improvements the board generally feels that they entitled
to careful hearing and dumen that enables them to
expend their energies upon the desired improvements II
the whole population become interested in building better
roads and administration buys lot of equipment for
road work and leaves considerable unfinished work for their
successors Office these may not like to the
road machinery lying idle nor yet be quite willing to meet
the heavy expense of keeping the work going On the other
hand an automobile club desiring build roads for pleas
ureways on certain lines leading good hunting and fishing
and good camping places should elect board of county
commissioners carry their designs to the neglect OF I'M
portant lines of travel which, kept good condition. would
foster commerce and aid in marketing produce if an
administration has weakness for buying and they habuay
buy of everything offered them which they have for and
buy in quantities that open the way wasteuness they
get into the habit of allowing just about everything that is
asked Of them and especially they get into that unhappy
position where each delegation asking for something
fer to less mertorous project which they have sanction
ed and if they get to playing politics in deciding most of
these questions might be advisable for payers to hold
meetings to study local condtonns and advise detail
Just what they wished their public to do with
of the more important debatab transactions which might
come before them in the future 1t is not fair the
officers have great hue and raised against high taxes
and then have the people go demanding expensive
improvements.
been donE that is that publication be made Of the things for
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