The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-01-07

it would have increased the salaries
of the county officers in a majority Of
the counties of the state, the county
officers salaries being based upon the
assessed valuation of the property in
the counties, and it would also have
raised the debt limit O: cities, towns
and school districts to dangerous de.
gree. So, after giving the matter SER
ious consideration it was thought best
to hold the valuation about where It
was and then call the attention of the
legislature to the problem and ask the
legislature to make such provision
with reference to the county officers
salaries as in their judgment they
thought wise, and also to give con-
sideration to the debt limit of the
cities, towns and school districts.
We must remember that in order to
raise the amount of money necessary
to pay all of the standing appropria-
tions and appropriations that would
come under the mill levies as made by
past legislatures, that the valuation of
the property of the state would have
to be increased probably fifty per cent.
Personally do not believe that this
should be done. If there ever was a
time when we should retrencA, econ.
omize and conduct the affairs of the
state with wise economy, it is now,
for our people are in no condition "
stand such a heavy additional burden
as this would impose upon them. The
mill levies should be revised and
should either be wiped out entirely
and appropriations made in specific
amounts from the general fund, thus
permitting the state to levy the whole
four mills for the general fund, or else
the mill levies should all come in un.
der a one mill levy, leaving three
mills for the general fund of the
state. There is a natural increase in
the assessed valuation of property
from year to year. There has been
between the years 1913 and 1914. The
Estates assessed valuation in 1918 was
about 3O7 millions and in 1914 about
313 millions, giving an increase OF
about six millions of dollars This
increase is accounted for by the PROV
ing up of about 100000 acres of gov
ernment land, which was proved ur
between the years 1913 and 1914 and
which has been added to the tax rolls
by the assessors for the first time in
1914; also some school lands in Cass
and Trail Counties We're sold in De
cember, 1913 and went on the caa
rolls for the first time in 1914; also
by the addition of several hundred
thousand dollars in assessment o1
railroad property upon new lines ol
railroad built and ironed during the
past year, and the balance is account
ed for by new buildings, houses, bust
ness blocks and property of that kline
in the cities of our state.
AS l have already shown, at the be
ginning Of the present administration
.he state owed over and above it's as
sets the sum of approximately three
hundred thousand dollars, which ha
had to be taken care of during tht
past biennial period. Then in the
past six months the general fund il
short, as will be shown, one hundred
thousand dollars by non-payment O
the oil inspection fees. Further il
1913 the general fund levy was reduc
ed 121a-100 of a mill which was give1
to the Higher Educational Institution
and this amount in dollars was abou
3S,000.O0. Add these three shortag,
items together and we find total o
$438, 100000. If we had this in the gen
eral fund it would pay all the state
sga ~