Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1914-03-21
WILL CARRY WAR
ON HIGH TAXES
Governor Haines Outlines His Cam
paign Against Extravaganza
And Waste.

AidhG HIS appeal 10 the voters lot IT
election ON that issue alone. He ha
just arranged to have printed i
pamphlet form the wonderfully II
structive report on taxes and rever
ues recently prepared by the sta,
tax commission. These pamphlets h
will have placed in the hand of th,
taxpayers in every county of tn,
state to enable them to get at thu
real facts.
AS preface to this pamphlet Gov
ernor Haines in brief address "Tt
the Taxpayers of Idaho,' says:
Il submit herewith for your con
sideration the report of the state tax
commission ON our public, financial
condition and the amount and char
acter of taxes raised by us during the
past year for all purposes of gov
ernment. You will find this report
worthy of your most careful study, for
1t contains much valuable informa-
tion never before collected in this
state.
"The facts concerning state and To-
cal taxation contained herein show
clearly that the question of reducing
our public expenditures is a problem
to which We must bring our best
business judgment and experience
The partisan representations of those
who have | little if any experience in
matters of government but who for
personal advantage promise freely to
anaugurate the most sweeping reform q
will no longer suffice The deep
study which this administration has
given to the question of reducing
taxes has at least served to raise
the same above the plane of partisan
contention and has presented for the
first time the data upon which plans
for a general reduction can be based.
The next legislature will be called
upon to take drastic action on this
important question and our best and
wisest men should be induced to ac-
cept service therein. If | am re-
elected to the office of governor, as
l hope to be, shall expect to ask
the legislature to enact remedial leg
islation along the following lines, the
result of which will be a limitation
of expenditures and a consequent
lowering of taxes
l. TO provide for a reduction in
the cost of state government. In |
certain offices the business methods
adopted during the present admin
stration show that reduction may be |
safely made. Specific recommends
lions will be made to the legisa-
ture covering tthe cost of operation
of all departments and institutions, to
the end that no particular appropria-
tion shall be increased, except ON
the clearest showing of actual neces-
sity, and that the aggregate of all
state appropriations shall be actual
ly reduced
"2. II it is shown that the people
of the state do not desire the contin-
uance of any office or department,
to take prompt action looking to its
adjustment.
"3. To make itemized appropria-
tions which shall appear in the
bills for all offices or position author
lied by the legislature.
a. To deprive all subordinate le-
yying bodies, such as county commits
sioners, school trustees, village
boards, etc, of the power to make
blanket leyles as at present, substitu-
ting therefor the power, within fixed
limits, to make specific appropria-
tons for particular purposes, pubica-
ton to be made of the amounts of
money to be raised by any unit of
government and the purposes to which
they are to be applied; the actual de-
termination of the levy to be made
under the supervision and control Of
the state tax commission.
rs. To extend the supervisory pow.
ers of the tax commission by law
where possible and by proposed con-
stitutional amendment where neces-
sary, to the end that this body shall
have general supervision and control
of all assessments, equalizations, and
tax levies, except those made by the
legislature.
"6. To provide for the payment of
taxes in two installments, discount
being allowed if the whole tax is
paid in one ins allment. This can be
accomplished by providing for the