East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-05-24
VOTERS TO HAVE FINAL
DECISION
Continued from page 1.)


----------------
the recent legislature is referred to the
lpeople for final decision.
The law if ratified, provides for the
following increases:
County judge, from $500 to $2,.
400.
County treasurer, from 81, 500 to 50, =
900.
County clerk, from $4,000 to s2,4OO.
Recorder Of conveyances. from ST.
500 to $4,000.
County sheriff, from $2.5OO to So
600.
County assessor, from 81 500 to s2,-
400.
County Superintendent of schools
from $500 10 $4,000.
On Old Basis.
With two exceptions, the salaries
paid to county officials today have moi
been changed during the past 20 to
25 years. An addition of $500 has
been put on the payroll to the credit
of the county treasurer during that
time. and the county judge, after the
! business Of the county makes it i'm
perative that fun time be devoted to
the office, was given more pay The
county clerks pay is the same that it
was when the old fee system was abol-
ished about 1898.
| Facts brought to light on the pay
received by the county assessor dis
the deputy assessor has received a
higher salary than his chief.
LahOrs More Ardnous
Since the salaries were established
at the rate that now prevails. a study
Of figures shows that the valuation Of
Umatilla county has increased from
the $7.0l7.473 it was 25 years ago to a
present valuation Of S5S, 100000. The
increase in valuation has also entailed
more labor and responsibility on the
part of the officials. Comparisons
with the valuation of other countries
in the state shows that Umatilla f.
second only to Multnomah county. In
salaries paid to county officials, there
are ten counties in the state where the
pay exceeds that of this county.
The work that must be performed
now by the assessor has increased
more than five fold during the past
quarter Of a century. Besides the ne
cessity of fixing valuations on prop
erty valued at $5S,O00, 900. the as
SCISSOR must now take care of tax ex-
tensions, an item of heavy labor that
was not required then.
Responsibilities Increase.
The office of the county treasurer
requires that the treasurer shall be re-
sponsihle for a great deal more mon
ey than formerly was handled. Dur
ing the past year, more than $4,000
600 was received and disbursed
Through the office About 100000
school money is also in charge of the
treasurer for loans. During the past
four years irrigation district work has
been added and the county has been
bonded for $1,05O 900 for roads.
Under the provisions of the law the
sheriff will get an increase of $500 IL
the law becomes effective. The law
provides, however, that all fees col
lected on criminal cases shall be re-
turned TO the county. The expense of
Iauto hire and upkeep and for tele-
phone and telegraph bills assumed in
chasing suspects must be borne by the
official himself 1t is claimed that the
expense of the office on criminal bus
mess alone during April in chasing
. bootleggers and other eases of SIM
liar nature amounted to 5000.
The salaries of the county commits
sioners remain at So for each day for
every day devoted to county business
with / 0 cents a mile allowed for trav-
cling expenses. This mileage also APP
: plies to the county Judge.
Tax Increase.
The total increase will amount to
$500 year and computed on the
valuation of the property in the coun-
ty. this would call for an added six
! ne-thousands of a mill. or to a tax
payer whose valuation is 81 600. it
would mean additional taxes of Ia
cents Those taxpayers whose valua-
tiou is Sl6, O00 would be taxed 81 ex-
ira 10 meet the increase.