Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1916-12-29
County Commissioners Hit
IdahO's Primary Election Law

In the state, there are 500 voting pre-
cincts. The stationery for each cleo
tion for each precinct costs SIS, or for
the entire state $4,000. That mind
YOU, is the stationery alone and does
not include the ballots.
Primary Votes Cost 81 40 Each
The average cost of the primary
election alone to the counties is over
500 per precinct or $50. 900 for the
entire state There is one precinct
where it cost more than $50 per vote
and several precincts where the glo-
rious privilege of the voting at the
primary cost the taxpayers between
$40 and SIS per vote.
''Do you think the taxpayers of this
state will be in favor of the statewide
primary law when they learn it cost
them am average of ST. 40 for every
vote at the primary election? Don't
YOU think when they know it costs an
average of 81 40 per vote to nominate
and elect their officers they will de-
mand an immediate drastic revision of
all our election laws? Just who is 1T
that wants this primary law? Who
is it that will defend it in the name
of honest, fair elections? Does it get
us anywhere? Can't we support.
nominate and elect our worthy public
men to office without all this confu-
sion and expense?
: There is no good or sufficient rea-
sol why an election cannot be conduc-
ted in our state for rs cents per vote,
in other words, 10 per cent of the pres
ent cost.
| Carl Feldhusen of the Ada county
: assessors office suggested var GUS
n tax reforms. He said
. ''Thc term, cash value is the
e yardstick by which we measure our
: values and there should be no doubt
y as to its Interpretation, | want to
), warn you, gentlemen, that we are
getting away from the law The cry
J that high valuations means high
IN taxes is deceptive.
4 II wish to propose that no bonds
be voted by any taxing district unless
provision is made that they com
L mence to be redeemed one year after
er their issue.
re "The state board of equalization
hd meets once a year for about two
he weeks. With all due respect to the
~ wisdom and integrity of our stat'
ge officers constituting this board,
he want to say that no human beings cal
'er in this short time do the work the
ay are expected to do intelligently an
da fairly The last Legislature decide
ng to do away with the tax commission
is do not want to criticize this act
icy but | do think provision should hav
been made to put in its place som
as competent official who works as a
Tor assistant to the board of equalizatio
ne and gathers data.
'rl- "a recommend that corporations
RS. required to file maps with their annu
art reports, showing the location al
al- mileage of their lines in each count
ION 1.-The distribution Of the money
vor rived from the taxation of these pu
hey lie utilities also needs adiustmer
OF It is not right that one district is col
ary PEELED to levy a dollar for speci
school taxes, when another distri
that happens to have a large railro
our valuation has plenty of funds for
ts' first class school with 10 cent lev
ws, The money derived from these sourt
the for school purposes should be diviC
gent according to population or school
i'm tendance over the whole state
Has Other reforms Mr.. Feldhusen reco
or mended We're in the figuring of mi
see. age or private car lines. in the mig
mas tory stock law and the assessment
es ) banks.