Imperial Valley press., 1917-08-27
TAX LIMIT Law
TO ENCOURAGE
GREAT ECONOMY
DESIGNED TO CURB WASTE AND
ExTRAyAGANCE IN COUNTIES
RTDGET SYSTEM USED
WILL ENABLE COMPARISONS
WITH PREVIOUS YEARS
More Systematic Operation OF County
Government Relating to Finances
is Provided For in Law

Is frOS1ueO TVE III A0"
Sacramento, Aug. 27.-Californla S
tax litigation law, designed to curb
waste and extravaganza in county eX-
penditures, has just been put to a
rigid test and the results, according
to a statement issued by the State
board of Authorization today, more
than justify its enactment.
Despite the fact that an effort was
made to nullify the law referendum
proceedings, practically every Board
of Supervisors in the State has con-
formed to the law and submitted bud
gets to the State board. OF the fifty
seven counties only three have SO far
failed to observe the law.
For all practical purpose. therefore,
the law will have been fully complied
with, even though the Supreme Court
shall today determine that the law
is suspended by the referendum filed
against it several weeks ago. In other
words. everything that the counties
are required to do this year under
the law has already been done, so that
, the referendum action, even If sus
tanned by the court. will have no ef
feet upon this years opreation of th'
law.
F., Economies Resulted
| According to the boards statement
the initial operation Of the tax-limi
tation law has resulted in widespread
economies and in benefits not evel
contemplated by the trainers of tn
law. At the same time, none Of tn
faults charged against it by its or
ponents materialized.
/ The most important feature of tn
law is that it installed simple bu
complete budget system in ever
county. This indirect result, accord
ing to the State board, is of vas
Importance, as only a few of tn
counties have hitherto maed use of
budget system, with the result tha
moneys were yearly expended by tn
counties without the remotest chanc
Of making comparisons with expen
ditures of previous years and O
thereby checking waste. The new la,
has automatically installed business
like system in every county.
Cut $4,000
An idea of how the law operate
to save the taxpayers money is show
by the case Of one southern count,
The Board Of Supervisors made
careful survey of the county need
and had used the utmast effort t
come within the five per cent linn
fixed by the law. More than $4,000
was cut off by the supervisors unde
the budget form. When the bulge
was finally presented, the State boar
pointed out how an additional $34,O0
saving could be effected. This ccol
ony was concurrcd in by the county
representatives, with the result thu
, practically $4,000 of the taxpayer
money was saved in that one count.
Nearly two-thirds of the countit
presented budgets well within the fl,
per cent limit Where the limit Wa
exceedd it was usually for some u
gency, the necessity Of which W;
o easily pointed out. In certain il
: stances requests to exceed the fl,
per cent limit were denied by IL
State board, because the purpose fl
which additional moneys were aske
were clearly not Of pressing impo
tance.
Schools Benefited
SO far as the schools We're col
q cerned, they were without exccptic
i, benefited by the law. The very ia
that waste was saved in other depar
, ments made possible more money f,
: educational purposes, such as schoo
& and libraries. The reason advanc,
. by those responsible for the refe
: endum was that the law would VOL
. injury TO the schools. The actual o
Grafton of the law shows this fear
a have been wholly unwarranted.
. In many instances county .supc
! visors and other officers who at fir
were doubtful regarding the law, ha
= become convinced Of its great pote
= tial good in placing county expcnc
e lures upon sound business basis.