The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1917-03-16

ballot, the election Of county officials
for four-year terms and various meas
ures directed toward nonpartisan
elections.
Tax Increase Is s1,13o,ooo.
The increases in direct millage
taxes total 1.13 mills, or s1,130,000
annually in state taxes, an increase
of approximately Is per cent above
the present state tax levy of 40 mills.
This, without regard to whether the
Increased appropriations from the gen
eral fund, will compel the state board
of equalization to increase the general
fund levy. There were also a host Of
measures passed which may increase
taxes of subdivisions of the state,
among which may be mentioned the
measure authorizing school districts
to establish teachers retirement
funds, the bill authorizing counties to
establish county fairs, the bill to al
low kindergartens the benefit Of COM
mon school funds and like measures.
Total Tax Increase Indefinite.
What the total appropriations of the
session will mean in increased taxa
ton, if any, is indefinite until the
state treasurer separates revolving
funds and reappropriated balances
from direct demands upon the general
fund.
It is known that the two appropria
ton bills carry more than s12,000,000,
including the 100000 for industrial
insurance and 100000 for first aid.
This $4,000 900 is raised by levying
assessments upon the industries, en-
ployers and workmen and does not
come out of the people by direct taxa
ton.
The fixed levies for state purposes
have been increased as follows: High
err education from LOS to 1853 mills
and the military levy from two-tenths
to three-tenths of a mill. In addition
there has been provided half mill
levy for state capitol building pur-
poses.
Fixed Levies Raised.
This combination raises the fixed
levies 11S mills, which means an in
crease of from 100000 to s1,250,000
year depending upon the assessed
value of the state to be determined
by the state board of equalization.
The legislature also passed bill
permitting county commissioners to
appropriate money for county fairs.
This, according to experts, is more ex-
pensive than for the legislature to
give S250,000 direct for fairs itself.
1t will result in thirty-nine counties
having the power to spend money for
fairs year after year and the aggre-
gate burden on the taxpayers may be
bigger than would be a direct appro-
priation by the legislature.
Debt Limit Bill on Old Basis.
The legislature passed the bill
which determines the assessed value
of any municipal corporation shall be
the basis, instead of the actual mar
ket value, for determining the bond
and debt limit of such municipal cor
poration.
This act was hurried through the
closing days of the session to meet
the situation which arose under su-
preme court decision in a Hoquiam
case. There it was held by the su-
preme court that the actual and not
the assessed valuation was the basis
for limitation. Under that decision
it would mean that the bond debt linn
it of every municipal corporation in
the state would in effect be doubled,
as the ratio of assessed to actual is
usually about so per cent. The law
hurried through by the legislature
leaves the limit where it was always
supposed to be until the court deci-
sion was rendered, based on the as
sessed valuation.
Fund for Nautical School.
For the new state nautical school
to be situated in Seattle an appro-
priation of $4,000 was made. The
government will duplicate this sum
and supply slip.
The state university was given ST.
262, 2S0 to spend in the next two years
and in addition $4,000 is appropri-
ated for new buildings. For new in
structional equipment $4,000 was al
lowed.
The state college was awarded
$3.50, $50 for the biennium and the nor
NAL schools sums equal to the amount
to be raised by the established law.
Among the items added to the sup
elemental budget in final passage is
$4,000 for vocational school work I'M
Ger the terms of the federal aid act.
121 Bills Before Governor.
Governor Lister had 121 bills left
before him for action upon adjourn
ment of the session. He has until the
close of business March 20 to pass
upon these bills.
All measures passed by the legisla-
ture will become effective June s,
with the exception of a comparatively
small number bearing emergency
| clauses, which become effective i'm