The weekly soliphone., 1915-09-24
County is Facing Financial Crisis

With outstanding warrants ag- eregating nearly forty thousand dollars, with county scrip a drug on the market at forty cents, with the credit of the county already seriously impaired, with a decrease of six hundred thousand dollars in the taxable wealth of the county for the year 1914 from the assess ment of 1913, and with a probable decrease of three or four hundred thousand dollars in the assessment for 1915 from that of 1914, with no equalization board to readjust the assessment and make raises where the values are assessed dls- proportionately low, it may be said in all truth that Greene county IS facing the most alarming financial crisis the taxpayers have confronted in many years. Unless drastic meas ures are applied and quick action is taken it is predicted county scrip 
 on the dollar, and the chances are it will not find a market at even that ridiculously low figure. Public spirited citizens who feel a pride in the county's affairs and who manifest more than a passing inter- est in matters concerning the coun- ty government do not conceal their alarm over the situation that has existed in the county for several years, and one that is slowly but surely growing worse. In the face of the fact that valuable lands are being opened to cultivation, sub stantial improvements being made on the farms, more scientific meth ods being practiced, the towns moy- ing forward and property values in creasing, the taxable wealth of the county as shown by the tax books is decreasing, bringing about con- dition that means bankruptcy un- less halt is called and remedial measures applied at once.
 Taxpayers who profit by the de- preciated market value of county scrip have seemingly overlooked the fact that the small saving made at taxpaying time is inconsequential when compared to the general loss sustained by the county as result of low scrip. Improvements Of all kinds are impaired. Public roads and bridges are not being looked after, men called upon to serve the county in the various departments of government are being underpaid, the credit of the county is being demoralized and the county's paper is being looked upon as possessing no value.
 Officials charged with the duty of disbursing public funds are not to be criticised for stopping all inn provements except those that are imperative. No other policy except one of retrenchment would be wise under existing conditions. The fault lies in assessing property. This is the foundation of the coun- tvs revenues and if property own CTS, either upon their own motion or with the acquiescence of the as sessor, place their property upon the tax books at shamefully low fig ures, and if the equalization board, charged with the important duty of reviewing the assessments and making necessary changes, fail in the performance of these functions, the inevitable result is financial disaster.
 The total amount of general rev enue fund available to the county from the assessments of 1914, was sS4,653.43, based upon a five mill levy for general purposes. An in vestigation of the settlement made by the tax collector shows that ev- cry taxpayer in Greene county paid his county general taxes in scrip. At least the collector turned over to the treasurer S33,610.11 in scrip, representing the total amount col