The Bismarck tribune., 1919-04-15
tive assembly is eo.s per cent Of this

Il. u II
'.Mr. baker further finds that, ex.
are In litigation, the increase of all
levies for 1918 over 1917 was 1926 per
tcent. The amount OF railroad taxes in
consideration as the tax paid now Is
been paid heretofore by the railroad.
over 1918 will be as great, we get an
increased tax burden of 80 l-3 per
cent for the current year
More Likely to Be 50 Per Cent,
"The tax commission has made
statewide study. through an extend
ed correspondence with levying boards
Of the probable 1919 local levies and
/ am free to confess that it seems
that the increased burden will be so
per cent rather than 33 l-3 per cent.
There has been little building or re-
pairs during tae past two years and
the levy has not kept pace with the
expenditures. Nearly all ocal funds
are In bad way and the deficiencies
must be met and certain repairs and
buildings looked after. look for un-
usual local, as wei as state levies this
year.
"The Increase Of 2O3 per cent
In the appropriations and ievles
for state purposes was not ocea.
stoned by appropriations TO carry
out the industrial program Of the
league. These appropriations, ac-
cording to Mr.. Baker, aggregated
$6e7 400. This amount would have
increased the state tax less than
II ner cent. subtracting from the
ttai appropriations and ievies, the
industrial appropriation and the
appropriation for the car line and
memorial building and we have
left $s,73,2s1 as against $4,123,5S5
for 1917. This increase Of 10 per
cent in the state tax burden goes
to already existing departments
and departments created inde-
pendentiy Of the industrial com.
bission. Il was In making these
appropriations for departments
that the legislature showed
reckless, disregard for economy.
The appropriations of many de.
partments, in tact, Of nearly all Of
the, departmental, have been
doubled and trebled. NEW oFFl-
cES HAVE BEEN CREATED,
AND SALARIES PAID TO SEC
RETARIES AN pDEPUTIES IN
EXCESS OF THE SALARIES RE-
cElvED eY ELECTIVE STATE
OFFICIALS.
"seventy per cent Of the entire
burden was oecasioned by this H.
ynaneial debauch.
10 Hail Tax Overlooked. q. "A
"Mr Baker, in the statement used
indefense of the appropriations made
by the sixteenth legislative assembly,
admits that the increase in the total
; tax burden for al purposes. state and
local, will be q per cent. In this iie
failed to take into consideration the
tax of &c per acre on +tilab1e land for
the maintenance of the hail insurance
department. Adding this, which he
conceded to be 5000, 900, we get an in
crease Of about "a per cent. s.
|, tit. will; obe noted that there is q
much greater increase in the percent
age tax upon; land than the average
increase upon all property. This is oc.
casioned by the exemption Of personal
property, which runs as high as 81, 800
in some instances, and the SO per cent
valuation applied generally to. per-
sonal property and some improve
ments-<in other words, it marks the
progress we have made toward q sim
Fsler tax basis OF taxation IN
Balance Dissipated. %a
"The> deficiency appropriation
of the regular session IN 1917, the
appropriations Of the special ses.
sion Of the fifteenth assembly, and :,
the emergency and deficiency ap.
preparations Of the 1919 assembly,
together with the failure on the
part Of the state board Of equat.
lxation to levy sufficient taxes
to meet the expenditures Of the
state, have resulted in dissipating
tho balance which b usually on
hand IN the general fund at this
time Of the year. The great bulk :
| ~ <ha $avna ara Maid In SAhr,I.