The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-11-06
BY J. T. s. Lyle.
for the Taxpayers
Association of Tacoma.

Attorney for the Taxpayers
Association of Tacoma.
Referendum measure No. o,
commonly called the budget
measure, covers the expenditures
of counties, cities, school, port
and park districts.
Is 1t known that during the
past five years, when every FAM
lily has been economizing, the
taxes for all the counties, cities,
school. port and park districts
in the state have increased at an
enormous rate until this year the
taxes are nine and a half mil
lions more than five years ago,
an increase of over so per cent.
1t has been the custom to make
levies of certain amount and
then exceed those levies by issu-
| ing warrants which bear interest.
This practice has become so
common that last year counties,
cities and school districts alone
paid out over 100000 in inter
est on current warrants. Think
of it! Why, it is nearly half of
the cost of the state departments
! and the many commissions.
Encourages Waste.
The present system encourages
waste and extravaganza.
To allow officers to spend
money for new projects at any
time of the year without consult
ing the voters has caused them
to be surrounded with designing
persons who are constantly seek
ing to have the public money
spent for schemes that would not
be undertaken if the people had
a say.
The officers are not to blame.
It is the fault of the system. In
the work of our taxpayers asso-
citation we see the how it in
creases the taxes.
Provide a system which will
prohibit the officers from spend
ing money for new projects with
out consulting the people and you
will have a remedy for a large
part of the high tax evil.
Referendum measure No. 3,
the budget measure, contains
the following features:
! Demands Estimate.
1t will make the officers esti-
mate their expenditures in an Or
derby way and make them decide
on the expenditures at a public
hearing where everyone can be
heard.
This makes the budget which
constitutes an agreement with
the people that the officers must
stick to until the next public
hearing the following year.
They cannot spend money for
any other purposes than those set
forth in the budget.
Remember 1t does not limit
what can be put in the budget,
SO 1t does not conflict with mu-
nicipal ownership in any way.
Forces "Pay-as-YOu-GO."
The present estimate law is a
Joke because there is no obliga-
ton to spend the money for the
purposes set forth in the budget,
nor to stay within the taxes
| levied.
BY limiting the expenditures
to the amounts set forth in the
budget 1t forces the "pay-as-you-
co. system. The people of Cali
fornia and Idaho put "pay-as-
you-go" clauses in their constf-
buttons. With them warrants is
sued in excess of the income are
void. Referendum measure No.
9 has the same provisions.
This feature will cut off the
huge sum which is now being
paid for interest on warrants.
1t allows emergency warrants
to be issued by unanimous vote
for emergencies that could not be
foreseen at the time the budget
was made up. 1t will prevent
fake emergencies.
The budget law does not
change the present law with
reference to funds. All warrants
are drawn on a common FUND as
at present and the amounts are
charged up to the budget allow
ances. The same system is fol-
lowed with state appropriations,
Two budget laws were passed
by the last legislature, one Tor
the state expenditures and refer
endum measure No. 8.
Prepared BY Tax Folks.
Another law was passed allow
i ing the many state funds to be
used as one fund in taking care
of state general fund warrants
until the taxes come in. IL the
people finally approve referendum
measure No. 8 the plan under
which 1t operates would safely
permit the same thing to be done
I for cities and counties.
In conclusion let me say that
referendum measure No. 8 was
prepared by the writer with the
assistance of other taxpayers, or
CARNATIONS and other public Of
ficials.