The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1915-01-01
INSTRUCTIONS FROM
THE GOVERNOR

ductlOn IN taxation as a duty I'M
posed upon the various boards of
county commissioners of the state,
al the message conveyed by Gov
enor-elect M. Alexander to the
county commissioners of the state /
assembled in their second days ses-
sion.
The question which l wish to
discuss before you today" said the
governor-elect, is the uppermost
question in the minds of the people
of every nation, of our own nation,
of every state within our own ma
ton, and that is-Why taxes are so
high and what becomes of the
money?
SIN this nation where we have
had peace for so years and where
all our people have had permanent
employment, as we go into their
homes we find scant supply Of lux
uries and upon inquiry as to the
reason we invariably find that it is
because taxes are too high. The
people of this state are looking to
the governor, the legislature and
the boards of county commissioners
to reduce their taxes and they must
not be disappointed.
eff taxes are too high IN the
~>various counties, the commissioners
are responsible for it. The great
trouble is that there has been too
much waste.
"It is your duty and mine to
ascertain where the waste is, and
to stop it. l want you to cooperate
with me. Waste begets extrava-
gance and extravaganza begets dis
honesty
Mr.. Alexander declared that farm
lands are assessed for more than
the land is worth and that higher
assessments have been made for the
purpose of raising more money by
taxation.
He declared that all counties of
the state should be placed upon a
cash basis and be maintained on a
cash basis. Last year." he said,
< "S26O, 900 was raised by various
counties of the state for warrant
redemption purposes. That means
that the commissioners of the state
expended that much more thar
they had raised in taxes and it al
represents just so much wasted
and this was done in spite of the
fact that 1855, 900 was raised from
taxes during the year more thar
had ever been raised before"
Then he inquired:
"How does that come?' H'
answered his own question by de
caring that it came about becaus
of carelessness, extravaganza an(
waste.
He declared that he would as
the legislature to enact law pre-
hibiting the issuance of count
warrants beyond the amount o
- revenue provided for the curren
wear and that would make commits
sioners responsible upon their bond
and with their personal propert
for warrants issued beyond tn
amount of revenue provided an
would prevent the bringing of an
suit of any court to recover upo
any such warrant.
''You should resolve among you
selves, here in this session." he d.
clared, "that you will not issue ar
warrants beyond the revenue tn;
YOU provide for the current ye;
except upon great emergency"
He condemed the methods pu
sued in making purchases by officia
without first having obtained autho
tsization from the commissioners an
NJ LAeclared that the commissions
" ahould refuse to pay any bills
( created. "You will have son
trouble to do this" said he, ''but
{ know that this can be done al
should.be done. You don't ne
any law for this; you can just do
YOU can just simply apply good bl
mess judgement, and that is
tnat is required. The wealth of
men honestly accumulated is acc
mulated by taking care Of t
nickles, the dimes and the dolls
and you must bear that in mind
cutting down the expenses of yo
counties.
He severity condems the empl'
ment of relatives by public otfici
and urged the commissioners to q
charge instantly all relatives e
ployed," he said, discharge tn
first of all"
He also urged greater use of
newspapers in informing the peo
of what the commissioners {
county officials are doing. ~
IL ,,o,,,epoporc tall of w