Imperial Valley press., 1920-11-19
BIGGEST RISE
/ IN TEACHERS
SALARIES
Several Plans Which Sug-
gest Themselves for Low
ering of Taxes by Re
trenchment in County Af-
fairs: Interesting Article.

Any article On taxes in Imperial
county which suggests specific re-
trenchments in various departments
~of the county is certain to arouse the
opposition of those persons interested,
50 the purpose of this article, when
deals with county taxes only, will be
merely to present various facts and
let the reader draw his own conclu-
3;ons.
TIE fact that county taxes alone in
Imperial county this year will totai
over S1,O50,581, as compared with
county taxes last year of S559,ooS
calls for explanations in the mind OF
the average taxpayer, who IS unable
to account for the. raise.
Last years county tax was 81 cents
and this year it jumped to $l.2o, an
increase of A cents. The 35 cent
road tax, which brings the total to
81 SO, is apportioned to the various
supcrvisorial districts and is a valua-
ton of 25 cents during q period OF
two years.
Of the accent increase, there was
a 3-cent increase in the general tund,
as can be seen from the accompanying
table. This is an increase at the rate
of but 21a per cent on this partlcu-
lar fund.
The greatest increase has been ir
the elementary school fund, which
has been raised from 16 cents to AZ
cents, an increase of 26 cents, which
adds an estimated burden on the tax
payers of $4,000, or one-siXth OF
their entire county total. While this
is based on an S5 per cent valuation,
Auditor Walter Carey is authority
for the statement that instead OF
bringing in $261,313 this year, as he
estimated, the actual collection will
run nearer $280,000, as collections in
the past have proven above the 80 per
cent. Later the reason for this in
crease will be given in a limited way.
Twelve cents of the Accent increase
is for the county court house fund,
and the remaining three cents are
spread over the various funds.
For instance, the figures for the
salary fund, which includes no school
teachers, shows an increase in esti-
mated receipts of less than $4,000.
Last years totals were S4S,774, and
this years estimate $51 ,237. How
ever. thwis is not entirely accurate,
for there is fund further down the
list known as the advertising fund,
which last year received $696S in rev.
enue and this wear will receive $14,-
$50. This fund has been drawn on by
the board of supervisors to pad out
salaries of various county officials.
who are members of the Imperial
county pupbicity commission. until by
far the major portion of it will go out
in salaries to these individuals.
The farm bureau has recently been
active in its efforts to change this
order of affairs.
There are many things which cost
the county hundreds of dollars
monthly. For instance. to take one
Of several, the salaries of the officials
Of the county farm bureau are paid
by the state; the county paws the
Now, exclusive of salaries, the person
al expenses of the farm adviser, his
assistant and the demonstrator, which
have been paid by the county during
the past five months out of an annual
1000 appropriation, are as follows:
July .................. .$752. so
August APT "A
September ................. 222.S5
October .................. 72O.40
November, to date ......... 49S.65
Including the dull months of the
year, these five months total up to
approximately $4,000.
The county also pays automobile
expenses of large number Of it's