Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-12-17

the other parts of the state. First il
prominence in an educational line is
the Oregon State Normal school al
Monmouth. With its added equipment
and other facilities for excellent work
it is drawing large attendance OF
students from all parts of the nation
In Dallas, Independence, Monmouth
and Falls City excellent high schools
are maintained, and also graded
schools.
The county school system is prob
ably as good as that of any county in
the state Most of the country schools
are standardized. The buildings are
all up to date. For model one-room
schoolhouses, Polk county carried off
first honors in the United States.
HI. G. Seymour, county school SUI
perintendent, during his administra-
ton, has made every effort to bring
the educational advantages up to the
top notch, and the success won by the
schools in the industrial exhibits at
the county and state fairs is the re-
suit Of persistent endeavor upon the
part of his office.
Taxes are lower than in most coun-
ties of the state, and the county is
free from bonded Indebtedness. At
the beginning of the fiscal year for
1916, it will face a total outstanding
warrant indebtedness of about $780,
900. This Indebtedness is due to the
extensive road improvement carried
on, and to the failure of the county
to secure taxes from the Southern Pa
cific Railroad company on the Oregon
& California land grant lands.
The taxes on these lands for the
past two years and remaining unpaid
amount TO approximately $4,000,
enough to wipe out the Indebtedness.
The heaviest taxpayer in the county
is the railroad company, which, ac.
cording to statistics at hand, paid
$33, ,498.10 for the year 1915. Next
to the railroad company are the big
timber companies.
Though in some instances the coun-
ty is gerrymandered to include tim
bered land in city school districts re-
mote from the timber taxed for its
support, still this principle has not
been followed to any unjust or un-
reasonable extent here.
Though the general county tax the
next year will be practically no high
er, the cities, particularly Dallas and
Independence, face higher tax next
year than has ever been levied before.
Instead of 7 mills as levied last
year, Independence will this year levy
a tax of 20 mills. For the last year
Independence has had the benefit of
three saloon licenses, each bringing
into the city $4,000. Instead of 12
mill levy as existed last year, Dallas
will levy Is mills. Falls City, which
made the highest levy of any city in
the state last year of its class,
amounting to 20 mills, next year will
attempt to worry through on a levy
of mills less, or total of Is mills.
The high levies in these cities are
due to extensive improvements car
ried on, and the necessity Of paying
outstanding Indebtedness.
Having been cut off from the reve-
nue. derived from saloon licenses, ex-
penses heretofore met by this money
will now have to be raised by dipect
taxation. Little objection to these lev
les has been made by taxpayers, ex-
cept in Independence, where legal pro-
ceedings are threatened. Though the
tax levies are high, if the assessed
valuation of the property located in
these different cities were as high as !
that in other places, the levy would !
be cut considerably.
Values Make Levy Light.
The assessed valuation in Falls City
is but $265,000, while one sawmill
plant located there is worth that
amount. The valuation in Dallas
amounts to about $1,200,000. In In
it amounts to approx
mately 100000. Consequently, though !
the levies appear high, still the tax
payep does not feel the burden of !
taxation excessively. 1t is doubtful
if, taken throughout, the assessed val !