The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-05-05
A FORMER GOVERNOR
DISCUSSES HIGH RATE
OF TAXATION
Moscow, Ida, April %, 1916.

Moscow, Ida, April %, 1916.
Editor Caldwell Tribune:
For your information | mail you
copy of letter addressed to the jus
tices of the Idaho Supreme Court: it
explains itself My desire is to throw
some light upon the important subject
of taxation, if | have the ability to do
so; and after having served the state
as it's governor for two terms,
should have acquired some knowledge
of the subject.
"In brief. the whole question of
remedy for our present increasing
taxation, is merely matter of cause
and effect. First, is it not true that
during the early years of our state
hood taxes were lower than they have
been in recent years? That having
been answered in the affirmative as it
must be, the next question to follow
is: Why was that possible? Simply
because the constitution as written by
its trainers limited the tax levy to a
graded scale as the assessable prop
erty within the state increased in
value. The next, and important ques-
ton is: Why are taxes so much great
err now than formerly? The increase
in our state taxes is due to the effect
of Amendment No. 9. to the constitu-
ton, which was adopted November,
1910, permitting continuous tax levy
of ten (1O) mills on each dollar Of
assessable valuation no matter how
much the total valuation of property
within the state may be, the result is
that although the assessable property
within thestate is now more than ten
times as much as it was in 1896, and
the population has trebled taxes have
not diminished. This amendment was
not ratified by a majority of the cleo
tors, as the constitution provides, but
was declared adopted, and the people
have been paying accordingly ever
since
"The tendency of the average man,
woman, school district. county, or
state, is to extravaganza; and unless
some reasonable limit is placed upon
our expenditures we will almost in
evitably go too far and become lavish.
Especial is that true of state leg
islature. The constituents of the MEM
bers are usually clamorous for some
thing and their appeals are hard to re-
sist.: Even before the amendments to
Articles 7, and 8, were adopted the
pressure for appropriations was fire.
quently so great that the governor
was obliged to interpose veto.
LAS must, | believe, be realized by
everyone the only safe remedy for the
people to pursue is to cause the legis-
lature at its next session to provide
for another amendment to the state
constitution, limiting the tax levy and
the bonded Indebtedness of the state
to some reasonable amount, as think
probable that the justices of the SUI
preme Court will recommend.
Sincerely yours,
wv. ]. MCCONNELL"
"The Honorable Justices of the Su-
preme Court of the State of Idaho,
Boise, Idaho.
Northumberland me to call your
attention to Sec. rs Article V. of the
Constitution of Idaho which imposes
duty upon your honorable Court as
follows: The justices of the supreme
court shall, on or before the first day
OF December of each year, report in
writing to the governor, to be by him
transmitted to the legislature, togeth-
er with his message, such defects and
omissions in the constitution and laws
as they may find to exist.
Section $50, of the Revised Codes
of Idaho is as follows: Sec. $50. The
Governor, Secretary of State, State
Auditor, State Treasurer, and Attor-
ney General, or any three of them,
! shall constitute the State Board of
Canvassers, and shall canvass the alb
stracts of votes cast in the different
counties of the state for electors of
President and Vice President of the
United States, for Representative in
Congress, for Judges of the Supreme
Court and District Courts, and for
Senators, Representatives and all state
officers
1T will be observed that no provi-
sion is made for the canvass of votes
cast on the various questions which
the constitution provides shall be SUBJ
mitted to the people. Sec. I. Article
VIII. of our State Constitution pro-
vides as follows: Sec. |. The legisla-
ture shall not in any manner create
any debt or debts, liability or labili-
ties, which shall singly or in the ag-
gregate, exclusive of the debt of the
territory at the date of its admission
as state exceed the sum of one and
on half per centum upon the assessed
value OF the taxable property in the
state, except In case of war, to repel
an invasion, or suppress instruction,
unless the same shall be authorized BY
law for some single object or work to