Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-09-29
BOOST
STATES TAX LEVY
PUT THROUGH CAMPAIGN MEAS.
URE AGAINST LISTER ADMIN
ISTkAT1ON.

State house rumors to the effect
that the Republicans proposed to in
crease the state tax levy as a cam
paign measure against Governor Lis
ter's administration We're substanti-
ated when the state board of equal
ization late Wednesday fixed the state
levy at II mills, seven-tenths of a
mill higher than for the current year.
Six-tenths of the increase is in the
general fund from which the expens-
es of all the departments are paid,
and one-tenth is for schools. An in
crease Of about 100000 in the ap-
propriations to be asked of the next
legislature by the different state de-
partments and institutions is the re-
puted basis for the levy.
Democratic officials of the state
house, particularly those who were
members of the board of equalization
until the last legislature changed it's
personnel and gave it over into the
control of Republican officials, con-
tend that the increase of six-tenths Of
a mill in the general fund levy is un-
warranted. Supporting their state
ments by figures, they assert that the
same levy for next year as was made
this year would leave balance of at
least $1,50O,000 in the general fund
at the end of the present biennium,
April /, 1917. !,
1.25 Levy Actually Lower
For the current year the levy. fixed
by Democratic board last ySar. has
been 1.25 mills. The levy for next
year. as Just made by aaRepublican
board, is 1875 mills. Because of the
general reductions in property valu- .
ations throughout the state this year.
a 1.25 levy for next ysar would have
made the taxes paid actually lower
than this year. though the rate Of
levy were the same. ~
First reports seat ont BY the Re-
publican sofiicials whose duty it Is to
hx the levy were to the effect that
2.66 mill levy would be needed TOR
the general fund. hutsthe rate finally
fixed is 1.s5y mills. III the original
plan had gone through, the Repuhli-
can board of equalization would have
tackled more than q 100 per cent in
crease to the state levy during the
closing, months Of Governor Listers
term, Notwithstanding the fact that
on September 90 OF this year the state
general fund showed q balance of ST.
$685.
In the campaign Of 1919, when Hay.
was running for reelection ION the
Republican ticket, the state board Of
equalization, then likewise Republi-
can, made levy of IN mills, al
though the certainty Of an overdraft
on the general fund was assured. as
the fund then contained q balance of
but $149,266 As. according to statis-
tics compiled by J. w. Brislavn Of
the state tax commission, a member
of the state board of equalization un-
til the last legislature changed it's
personnel and gave it into the con-
troll of the Republicans. On October
81, 1919, the oveSdraft developed,
and in January, 1913, when Governor
Lister was inaugurated, it had grown
to $45O,O00. BY April /, the expira-
ton of the last biennial appropriation
made under Hay, the overdraft was
$565,039.
This legacy of overdraft, together
with the high appropriations of the
1913 legislature, imposed state levy
of 8 mills upon the new administra-
ton for 1913. But on April II. 1914,
the general fund carried balance of
$726.489, and the increase to the
states credit has continued steadily,
until 1t has approximately reached
the $1,5O0,000 mark, at which point
the board of equalization fixes levy
six-tenths Of mill more than the
levy fixed when heavy overdraft
had to be met.
Fallacy of Action.
The fallacy of this action, accord
ing to Commissioner Brislawn's de-
ductions, lies in bastng the estimate
of what the new levy should be on
an estimate showing that the 1917
legislature will appropriate nearly
81, 10000 more from the general
fund than I'D the legislature OF 1915.
In this the fact tas been overlooked
that the levy made this year is for
the purro:c o of taking care Of 1915,
or the lest year of the 1915-17 bien-
NAL appropriations, and to also leave
a safe margin upnn which to begin
4 TD- ~{uA