Imperial Valley press., 1920-11-08
Vox PopuH
URGES TAXPAYERS
ASSOCIATION FOR
VALLEY RESIDENTS
Editor Imperial Valley Press:

Editor Imperial Valley Press:
Now that the election is over, and
the country is again made safe for de-
mocracy, Tor unsafe, according to the
way we view the proposition) may it
not be we'll for Imperial Valley citi-
zens and particularly Ell Centro prop
erty owners to concentrate their minds
just at this time when they are being
handed nice juicy lemon in the way
of their tax notices, on a matter that
is infinitely of greater Importance to
them, financially, than all the ma
tional elections Of the past of that are
likely in the future.
Every thinking individual of this
little city must realize that q genuine
calamity has befallen this community;
that no pestilence, fire, flood or earth
quake could have affected their inter
ests here, financially, as this present
undreamed of city, county and irriga-
ton tax that has this year been placed
upon their already overburdened
backs.
When taxes, that were already eX-
cessively high, are raised one hundred,
two hundred, three hundred, four hun
dred and even five hundred per cent
over those of last year, it is certainly
stating the case mildly to say that a
real calamity has befallen US.
1t has been stated that for the con-
ditions as now existing the people
themselves are largely to blame. This
is true, in so far as having voted men
into office who belong to the "Hurrah
Bunch" thereby sanct;oning wasteful
and eXtravagant methods in public of
flee. A very few Of us have been fight
ing these things for many wears. fully
realizing what the outcome would be
and that pay day was sure to come.
And right well have We been abused,
maligned and censured for our temer-
ity.
But it is not of high taxes in gen.
eral that the writer desires to call the
attention of the public at this time.
It is to the very UNEQUAL, UNFAIR
AND UNJUST valuations of business
and near business property in Ell Gen.
tro, placed thereon through County
Assessors office for the year 1920-21.
These valuations, for the most part,
are away beyond all reason and great
ly in excess of any price that such
property ever has or can be sold for.
Last year all valuations on real es
tate were doubled throughout the en-
tire county by the board of supervis-
ors. Some one in the Assessors office,
apparently not being content with
these valuations in FL Centre, has this
year again doubled, trebled and in
some extreme cases nearly quadrupled
the value Of lots in the very centre of
the city, but he did not raise farm
values or, for the most part, residence
lots except in rare instances. Thus
has Ell Centro been stabbed to the very
heart and now lies PROSTATE from the
blow,
The thing that makes it so much
harder on owners of property here, is
the fact that the Irrigation district
takes the county valuations as heirs
also. This causes the owner of a 25
foot lot en- Main street to pay as great
an irrigation tax this wear as q owner
Of 80 acres of land that in many cases
is worth from $500 to $400 per acre.
1t is impossible in an article of this
kind to begin to enumerate the many
harmful results from such unequal
and unjust taxation, nor is it neces
sary to do Sc, for they must be obvious
to all. The writer is fully convinced
that the property owners of Ell Centre
can have this infamous tax assessment
set aside if they will simply organize
Immediately and take the necessary
steps. In any event taxpayers or
ganizaticn should be immediately con-
sumated and through this body, which
ought eventually to become County
wide, notice must be served upon the
irrigation board, the county supervis-
ors and the trustees Of every city in
Imperial county, that from this time
on, economy and business methods
must be used in conditioning public
business, and that STOP must for
ever be placed on wasteful and extra
VACANT methods and that no more run
ming amuck with the taxpayers
money shall be allowed. And furtehr,
that no assessor of this county can
make arbitrary, unequal, unfair and
unjust valuations in any city or sec
ton of Imperial county, as against
other sections and be allowed to get
away with it.
Unless we take immediate action
on this very vital question the future
of Ell Centre and Imperial Valley is
doomed. /, for one. am not willing
to give up without a fight to keep my
property from actual confiscation by
unjust taxation. Mr.. Taxpayer, what
do YOU propose to do about it?
ALVIN n. BUCKLIN.