The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-12-27
TAX PROBLEMS
in BINGHAM

Valuations, Personal
Property and Bond :
Roads :,
Chapter Nv
Explanation About the Bulls
Stockmen say that they count their
males I'D with the rest 'of the cattle
when they give in their assessment
and that seems to be true. Some
deputy assessors here and there make
careful inquiry and single them out
and tabulate them, therefore the
county books show nine bulls and
something like seven thousand COM
mon cattle, but included in the COM
mon cattle are all the males. The as
SCISSOR says that Is the way they
make the assessment and It was an
oversight to have any figures appear
/. at all in the columns showing how
many bulls there are. There are
some other things that are Jumped
on. For instance, If man has two
yearlings they are counted as one
common cattle, but IL he has two
two year olds. they count as two
common cattle. Ten cows and bull
are counted as eleven common cat
tie. Six or eight work horses and
saddle poney are counter as six or
eight horses. Libraries are taxed but
in point Of practice the assessor has
q good deal of difficulty in deciding
what library is. It may have books
valued at several thousand dollars
and others have different amounts
graduating down to one book of no
value, that is, the year books of the
Department OF Agriculture or some
thing like that. Very little account
is taken Of the libraries in making
the assessment. II man is more en-
terprising than the rest of the COM
munity and maintains a library and
is generous with the use of it and
has the school csildren and the teach
ers enter his home at their pleasure
and make use Of 1t, the assessor dis
likes to make him pay very much tax
on that; he feels that he is already
q benefactor to the whole community
and why should he be given addi-
tional burden. There seems to be
merit In the argument but we get
back to the subject of diamonds,
considering why people should be
excused from paying taxes on the
profitable investment in, diamonds
nobody seems able to explain, and the
assessor feels more or less embar-
rassed when the subject is discus
sed or put up to him. He knows
nothing In the law to require him to
search people or make them give
him report of their diamonds, If
they are personal effects. People are
expected to pay taxes ON their per-
sonal effects not on their under
clothes for instance nor their over
clothes nor the things the people u.s.
ually wear to protect them, but the
person who puts on luxury as
very expensive ring or jewel or fur
coat that costs hundreds or thousands
of dollars, it is probably the purpose
of the law to make such persons pay
taxes ON the investment; it is lux
ury and he should pay for the lux
ury.
Cost Of Bond Roads
We have expended six hundred
thousand dollars for bond roads In
the last two years but we are only
paying the interest on that $4,000
a year., The licenses on automobiles
nearly pays the interest. In another
year or two the auto licenses will
just about carry the interest charge.
So the people who remark that the
bond roads are increasing our taxes
are speaking correctly, but the in
crease is so slight they can hardly
notice it. But in future years 1t will
be noticeable unless the increase in
property values and the increased
population shall pay off the burden
without our feeling it and that is
the way those things usually work
out. We are not suffering high taxes
now by reason Of any old bond is
sues we are paying of; those things
are a very small measure Of our
taxes A big bulk Of our taxes Is
the school tax. In some districts it
is one-fourth of our taxes and in
some districts It is more than half
of the tax, but the average is some
where between 40 and so per cent.
Therefore 1t is misleading for people
to be talking about roads making
the high taxes, when as a matter of
fact, schools are the greatest source
OF expense that is paid out OF the
tax money. Those expenses are
regulated by the people Of the
school district. They have 1t almost
in their own hands and II they want
to regulate the taxes, the most ef-
fective way to do It is to close up the
schools II the schools are worth
what they are spending on them then
they should pay that part Of the
taxes cheerfully and II they want to
reduce the total Of theri taxes, they
could make some reductions by look
ing to other matters, but no very
great reduction.
The Cost Of Bond Roads
From the year 1919 to 1928 in
elusive, we shall pay $4,000 a year
interest on our road bonds. In the
year 1928 we shall pay the 100000
interest and 100000 on the principal
making total Of 100000. In the
year 1929, we shall pay total of
S47 900. in the year 1880. $4,000 |