Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-02-05

| crease the general fund OF the state
ten per cent. under our present prac'
tice, it necessitates our leyying a tax
of ten dollars, nine dollars OF which
| the local com munity, generally SPEAK
ing, has no need for. Our consuta-
ton provides that at no time should
We exceed the four-mill levy. In prac.
tice We have not only been at our ex-
IRENE limit, Ibut have exceeded Is
one and one-eightn mills, as evidenc-
ed by the ruling of our supreme court:
We do not believe that it is a wise
practice, nor that our constitutional
convention contemplated that we
should work out a system OF taxation
that brought lis at all times to Or De
yond our taxing power. We do not
believe that this change l., system
would brig about any greater a de-
gree of extravagance in u state gov.
eminent than we find under present
conditions. We feel that the admis-
sion that under Cur constitutional
provision we are possessed of only
1913, 000, 900 worth of property is moi
a good advertisement OF our worth
Or prosperity. We do not feel that
such an admission has a tendency to
make North. Dakota an attractive
place to come to. We do not feel t;1at
q tax levy of seven per cent in some
CT our cities aids in making such
places attractive to possible invest
ors. We feel that the evidence Of our
small assets initiates against us in
our interest rates. We feel that our
low valuation, that renders it impOs-
:ibIe to erect and maintain school ia.
cilities ih communities where the ta>
payers are willing to provide and pay
for such facilities nj cannot now
Dc so under II law and custom,
should be changed, We. therefore,
recommend to- your consideration the
adoption in fact Of the valuation OF
property at its value in money as
originally provided for in Section 176
ct the Constitution, or that some
classification Of property as regards
DroEOrtionate value he adopted and
fixed, as provided for in said Section
l76 of tle-.Constitutioa as new amend
ed, that. will make it possible to d.
vert sufficient OF our tax payments
into the general fund Of the state
without imposing on localities the
necessity Of collecting. taxes for
which they have no use. *. s4.
We earnestly invite the careful con.
SID ration Of this proposition. not Oh
" by the members o. the Legislature,
but by the people and newspapers OF
this state, so that il there be fault
in the proposition or that it wouiu
initiate to the disad, vantage of any Or
all of our people it be, called to- the al
tention Of this legislative body.
Payments Not Warranted. III
We find, on examination, certain
appropriations, payments and com
missions paid to different officials AND
boards that we feel are no warranted
and ought to be repealed or modified.
Your committee, feeling the need OF
some method Of making our revenue
n expenses meet, make these gen.
eral recommendations for your con
slderation and invite your closest anu
most earnest consideration and crit
cism. Your committee, will, from
time to time, offer further recommen-
datlOns which in, our opinion will cor.
rect our financial difficulties. .. ,''%;
Your committee ,Ibegs leave to ao.
wise you that, owing to the mlagni.
tude of this general proposition, va
40 not feel it to be possible to make
al OF our recommendations inside OF
the time limit of thirty-ilve days, as
prescribed by our rules, anu woulo
suggest to you the wisdom Of almenc.
ing our rules for the purpose, Of Civ.
ing further time for the introduction
o. our suggestions and the bills anc
measures that we may recommend.
All of which is respectfully submit.
ted. ~"
By the Committee. '@
Representatives T~readweli Twichell
chairman; Sandstrom,. Albrecht;
Senators k~retschmar, Knox anc