Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-10-01
LISTERS ECONOMY
MAKES TAXES LOWER
TOTAL REDUCTION OF $1,718, 583
IN STATE LEVY DURING HIS
ADMINISTRATION.

Coming as the result of the eco
nomical handling of the states affairs
during the last three years under
Governor Listers administration, the
state tax levy for 1915 was fixed last
Saturday at Z mills, by the state
board of equalization.
This rate will raise $7,218,942, a
reduction of $1,1O8,5O5 from the S.O7
mills levy Of 1914, which in turn rep
resented a reduction of $61O,O7S
from the S.S7 mills levy Of 1913, the
present levy thus representing a re-
duction Of $1.71S.583 from the high
record of two years ago. It means
that Thurston county, which paid
3l17,265 in taxes into the state treas
ury in 1914, will pay in only $1O4.-
o46 this year. reduction of $l3,219.
or approximately IL per cent.
Aside from reducing the burden Of
state taxes, however, the levy this
year will accomplish q number Of
other objects.
BY increasing the military levy
from IL mill to 30 mill. and retain
ing the levy at this figure, the legal
maximum. . 100000 fund will be
created for disbursement by the next
legislature, which will enable Wash
ington to bear its full share in the
national campaign Of preparedness
for defense.
Money to Retire Bonds.
The general fund levy, though re-
duced radically. will. on account Of
the existence of a $1.600,000 surplus
in this fund at the present time,
allow sufficient money to carry out
Governor Ernest Listers plan Of
wiping out the remaining state debt
as soon as legislative authority IL re.
ceived.
The slight increase in the school
levy IL expected to enable the state.
for the nrst time, to discharge In full
IT. obligation. under the barefoot boy
school law. Of providing state aid to
the extent Of $40 for each child of
school age. Last year the school
fund receipts fell about $4,000
short. while two years ago the state
aid fell more than 100000 short.
Although the 1915 tax levy is the
smallest for several years, State
Auditor c. w. Clausen. ex-oficio
chairman Of the state board Of equal
isation, stated in announcing the 6E-
ures that the board believed It had
not been hxed 20 low that next year
the board would be compelled to in
crease 1t to make up Z dehcit.
& Practice Of Past Years.
Under past administrations It has
been the invariable practice to reduce
the state levy in . campaign year to
ruinously low figures. to be made up
the next year by an increased levy.
This practice was carried to the ex-
treme limit in the last year of the ad-
ministration Of Lieut. Gov. M. e. Hay
t. enable him to make . showing in
his campaign for reelection. and -
. result when Hay went out OF ONCE
and Lister came in the general fund
was overdrawn moro than 100000.
To meet this situation the high rec.
ord levy Of 1913 was made necessary,
but succeeding levies have shown
growing reductions.
Other members of the board Of
equalization this year were: State
Land Commissioner Clark v. Savidge
and Arthur A. Lewis Of the public
service commission. Clark r. Jack
son and J. w. Brislawn Of the tax
commission also participated In much
Of the work, being called in by other
members on account of their expe-
rience as members of the board In
past years. The recent legislature
removed the tax commissioners from
their membership in the board Of
equalization.