White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-13
ELY AND CONSOLIDATION


ELY AND CONSOLIDATION
II the taxpayers of White Pine
county will take time to think over
the proposed consolidation of city
and county Offices they will undoubt.
cdly oppose any attempt OF the 1egis-
lature to make the burden of general
taxes any greater. The taxpayer
within the city limits who is willing
to pay for the advantages offered by
an Incorporated municipality will
hesitate to give up these privileges,
and II he expects to retain them he
Will surely he too broad-minded to
expect the general county to pay for
them.
A little creative imagination is
necessary TO analyze the possible add
yantages and disadvantages of the
proposed consolidation. The plan,
which will take form in a bill before
the legislature. will be the abroga
tion of the city council. the city clerk.
city marshal, judge of the police
court and the mayor. The object is
10 ave the salaries paid to these of
fcials and have the duties of these
officers performed by the county Of
ficials. II is taken for granted that
the county officials will perform the
extra work without additional COM
pensation In some cases il is un-
derstood that county officials have
offered to do the extra work without
additional compensation, but there is
nothing on record in the nature Of a
contract to make this agreement
binding. In the case OF the county
clerk, this official has informed the
promoters Of the plan that 1t will he
impossible for him to undertake the
work of the city clerk in addition to
his duties without additional
help. At the present time he is run
ming his Office with but n deputy.
An additional deputy capable of
handling the work of the city clerk
could not be secured for less than
$125 per month.
There is nothing of record TO shove
that the sheriff Office will be able
to handle the county work and the
night and day supervision of the city
without at least WI additional dep
uty sherifIs al 2 salary of $3.50 each
per month.
The county commissioners have
about all that any board of three
men can do to take care of county
affairs, and for this work, which
takes them from their personal du-
ties, they receive a paltry salary of
SEQ per month. Is il consistent to
imagine that these men will shoulder
the responsibility of city control, with
the contumely that this undertaking
Is heir to. without requiring addi-
tional compensation?
The justice of the peace Is an i'm
portant Office which requires the
greater part of that officials time as
well as much study of law, and he
receives O salary of $3.50 per month.
Is il reasonable to suppose that he
will take over the court troubles of
the city-and the city is not going
backward, although some people
think 1t should-without asking for
additional compensation
The district attorney can never
forecast just how busy his Office will
be, nor can he tell the amount OF
court business the city will have in
the next year which will require the
attention of an attorney. II is not
reasonable to ask aim to do the work
OF two men and be satisfied with the
salary OF one.
There is no economy in this kind
OF saving. First. there is not enough
"a 't0 dAA oRtOtANf az P1oIA8 "a ~
will expect Just as much service and
protection as they did under a slight
ly higher tax.
There is only one place where the
burden will fall. and that will be an
increase in the taxes of the rancher
the Nevada Consolidated Copper
Company, the Nevada Northern Rail-
way Company and other big inter
csts in the county which are bearing
the burden of taxation today.
II the taxpayer i'm the city does
not want the advantages offered by
the city aud he is not willing to pay
for them let him move outside the
city, The city would not be possible
were It not fer the allied interests
and the ranches. so why ask them
To stand the city burden
There may be philanthropists who
are willing to work for nothing that
others might saw money. hut ii is an
extremely difficult matter to even get
a mental picture Of this friend of the
people.