East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-11-18
Umatilla County Must Raise
$675,833 in 1920 on an AS
SesSed Valuation 81, 100000
Lower Than in 1919.
RATE FOR PAST FIVE
YEARS is rs MILLS
Commissioner Dunning and AS
SCISSOR Strain 90 to Salem
Seeking Relief From Result
of Decreased Ratio.

Umatilla county must raise $G75,-
$50 by taxation In 1920 on an assessed
valuation s4.OO0.000 lower than In
1919.
Where the county tax rate for the
past five years has approximated 7.5
mills. In 1920 II will approximate 13
mills.
Such were statements made today
by County Commissioners C. II. Marsh
and B. T.. Anderson, who have effect
ed a tentative budget for operation OF
the county in 1890.
Commissioner G. l.. Dunning. to-.
gether with County Assessor c. Il.
Strain. is in Salem today appearing be-
fore the state tax commissioners to
seek relief from the situation in which
the county has been placed because of
decrease In ther alto of assessed to
actual valuation.
Ratio Reduced To so Per Cent.
reduction from so per cent to so
per cent in the assessed valuation OF
land In proportion to actual valuation
left Umatilla county this year with Il
total valuation OF S4S,9s5.S22. accord
ing to Judge Marshs figures. Last
years valuation. asreported from the
assessors office. was s52,S76.4O0. I'm
I'll the assessed valuation which may
be placed on public utilities is deter
mined by the state tax commission.
the total for the county cannot be
nscertained. Judge Marsh's figure is
obtained upon assumption that public
utilities will be valued at $4,000, 900.
Utilities May Cu Lower.
Public utilities in 1919 were listed
at $lI.OOOO00 in round figures. This
was on the so per cent basis. Should
they be valued on n so per cent basis,
the total would be considerably under
slO.O0O.0OO.
Increases in the budget are so nu-
merous that the commissioners are
obliged to figure diligently how to
keep within the per cent Increase
Limitation set by law. The various
county offices, departments and
functions alone call for increases to-
falling si3,O55 over the 1919 budget.
Only $1,000 was Topped off depart
ments The circuit, county and justice
courts were pruned $500 each. while
four other items were reduced 500 !
each.
Influenza's effects are still seen in \
some of the items for which increases
were found necessary. Care of the
poor was given an additional $4,000
and widows pensions $1,000.
Agencies VIII Need S225O.
withdrawal of government funds
from the offices of county agricul-
tural agent and home demonstration
agent makes it necessary for the coun-
ty to dig deeper to the extent of So
$50 If these officials are to be re-
tained for 1920. The commissioners
say they believe the work these de-
partments are doing is worth the add
ed expense.
with state and national primaries
and elections coming next November
the county has an additional burden
to meet. The elections item in the
budget shows the greatest increase,
$4,000.
Four Mills for Roads.
Four mills are added to the tax as |
the result of the countys road bond
ing act. the interest to be paid on
those bonds, and the state market
roads tax bill. voted in the referendum
election. June l. The county Will
take advantage of that act. however
for the state will return, dollar for
dollar. that raised in the county. The
county is obliged by the act to levy
one mill tax for the roads ana can 40
no other than profit by taking adVah-
tage of the states cooperation. Ninety
eight thousand dollars will thus be
added to the county's road tund'
which may be directed as the commis-
sion decrees. The state highway
commission furnishes the engineer
ing.
Because OF the aid which the state
will furnish under provisions of the
market roads tax bill the county has
reduced its road fund for the coming
year to $11S.S93. This years budget
called for s119.691.67
County schools VIII get the same
amount from the county next year as
ICor,Ipued on mage sD