Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1920-01-06
John D. Robertson Makes an
Analysis Of State Tax Levy
and Appropriations Justify
ing Legislators Acts.
EXTRA EXPENSE LARGE
Road Levy Responsible for 3d.
100000 Heretofore Raised
BY Bond Issues-$1,300,000
Other Unusual Needs.

OF the total appropriations made
by the last legislature, at least ST.
100000 was for improvements and not
in the nature Of ordinary expense for
the state government, but rather an
investment for the future, says an
analysis of state taxes prepared by
John ID. Robertson. state tax expert
and former senator from Washington
county.
The fact that the state had reached
its bonded Indebtedness limit and that
the 100000 necessary for the states
road building program had. to be
raised by direct taxation instead of
by a bond issue as it would have been
done is another item pointed to as
swelling the 1919 appropriations above
the ordinary.
cost of operating the state government
Mr.. Robertson says:
1T Is not in the salary of your
elective officers. They are receiving
the same old salaries. We do find an
increase in the pay of the help en-
ployed, but when you consider the in
creased cost Of living the increase is
not in proportion At the present
time the average employe is not re-
ceiving the same wage as the ordinary
laborer, and you must admit that it
requires time and study to qualify for
these positions.
Supplies. such as stationery. books,
and so forth, have greatly increased in
cost Travel expense of those whose
duties require them TO visit the diff
ferent parts of the state has increased
so per cent. We find the same in
crease true in all our charitable and
penal institutions. Where the indiv-
fdual buys one pair of shoes, we have
to buy a thousand. The same rule
holds true as TO food and clothing.
where is the business man. farm
err or head of household who will
claim that the cost of operation of his
business or farm, as well as the ex-
pense of his household, has not in
creased more than 20 per cent in the
past two years.
NEW DUTIES IMPOSED
when you and l are compelled to
pay double, can we expect the state
to get its help and supplies at the
same old figure?
I'VE find that in some departments
there has been considerable increase
In their appropriations, but we find
also that there has been increased
duties imposed upon them. AS an il
lustration, | give the public utilities
commission. Their appropriation was
more than doubled over that of 1917
1918, for the purpose of enabling them
TO make physical examination OF some
of our public utilities to determine the
value. so that they might intelligently
fix rates that the utility might charge
the public. To further emphasize the
thought the legislators had in mind,
that of service and efficiency. and that
politics did not enter into their cal
culations I call your attention to the
fact that the majority of the commits
sion is Democratic"
Some interesting comparisons be-
tween the levy of rs mills in Idaho
and the levies of other states are made
by Mr.. Robertson.
1daho's levy was increased from %
mills to 7.s mills. The state of Wash
ington. which has valuation basis
approximately the same as Idaho, in
creased its appropriations AIN per cent
and it's levy is 1914 mills. Oregon in
creased its appropriations 2712 per
cent; Utah, 26a per cent; Arizona
71k per cent; Wyoming, &c 2-3 per
cent
IMPROVEMENT APPROPRIATIONS
Some of the Improvement appropria-
tions which Senator Robertson points
to as contributing to the unusual de-
mands that came upon the state dur
Ing this biennium are as follows:
University of Idaho-Building, fire
system and other improvements, $122,-
4SS. The growth of this institution
demanded that certain amount OF
building be done to meet their wants
or the above amount $4s.127 were de-
ficiencies due to past administrations
that the legislature considered the