Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-08-25
Behind the Tax Complaints.

The county board of equalization will
probably conclude its labors today, aft
er several weeks of very strenuous
sessions, and whether or not reduc-
ton of 90 or % per cent in assessed
values will be made is not known as
this is written. That the people OF
the county, and of almost every other
county in the state, have a just COM
plant, that we are paying too much
for government and that taxes have
become so onerous as to be bar
against the investment of the capital
necessary for the development of our
county and state, is too obvious to re-
quire statement.
But, does the remedy lie in a re-
duction of valuations? If so, and it is
done with the view of curtailing eX-
penditures by reducing the limit with
in which the constitution requires our
taxing bodies to keep, it stands as an
indictment against officials for the
expenditure of more money than is
necessary-or more than the people
desire. This condition is rarely true.
While we have had crooked officials,
a very large majority of them are not
only honest, but desire economy as
keenly as their constituents. Public
officials have become accustomed to
complaints of high taxes annually. at
either taxpaying time or when the
equalization boards meet.
At almost all other seasons of the
year. the only financial talk they hear
are clamors for additional expendi-
lures, with rarely a voice heard in pro-
test. 1t is safe, conservative state
ment that this county has absolutely
squandered a million dollars in the
past ten years. yet while this squand-
ering was going on the large tax
payers of the county-some Of whom
were enjoying comparative immunity
gave voice to no protest. While
more than 100000 was wasted on the
court house, 100000 squandered upon
the useless white elephant called
county hospital and roads costing
thousands of dollars were donated
to railroads-which bought and paid
for rights of way over other lands
as well as numerous other needless
bills were being piled upon the back
of the taxpayers, the now vOciferous
demanders of reductions were as ST.
lent as the proverbial clam. We were
sowing the wind and are now reap
ing the whirlwind.
No, reduction in valuations prom
Uses no relief of any permanency.
What is required is an entire change
of governmental methods. The adop-
ton of business principles such as our
largest taxpayers use in their per-
sonal affairs, and this will not be ac-
until the government of our
state, counties and cities, as we'll as
schools are conducted purely as bust
ness institutions.
We have an example of the con-
trast in the management of public and
private affairs at the present time.
An election campaign is on. Numer-
GUS candidates for the various posi-
lions are active in securing votes, and
are usually chosen by reason of some
political party label they wer, with
ri 20 hot
tons for the positions sought. When
elected, and about as soon as an Of
fetal becmes sufficiently familiar with
his duties to be Of real service, he
must go through another campaign,
relying again upon his label to pull
him through. If fortunate enough to
be reelected he finds himself at the
end of four years very proficient in
his duties, and really worth 100 per
cent more to his employers than he
was during his first year, fired by
provision of the state constitution, a
provision which was doubtless adopted
upon the theory that public office was
private snap, and that it should ro-
tate among the properly labeled boys.
In a similar case, private employer
would be raising his salary in order
to retain him, owing to his increased
efficiency. Ir~~-~ 90, & 49,
Pending a complete change in our
not only to the county commission
ers but the entire county. Since it's
completion it has cost $1,000 year to
care for it, $4,000 in interest charges
and $1,100 in depreciation, figured at
two per cent, making the total charge
per annum, $1,000, or $55S,93 per
state constitution and laws, the Her.
aid can see no relief from present con-
ditions. AS now organized, we send
representatives to the legislature, as
a rule, selected with view to secnr-
ing something costing public money
for his bailwick, in other words he
must bring home the bacon" To Sc
cure his piece of pork" he must run
with the gang, each intent upon SIM
liar errand. with the result that be-
tween them eXtravagant laws are