The Lamar register., 1921-02-02
MASS MEETING OF TAXPAYERS
Elks Club Room Crowded With Citi-
zens Interested in TaN Problems.


changed conditions was given by the
mass meeting of taxpayers at the
Elks Club last Thursday night. For
the past few years everybody has been
Indifferent to the high cost OF any
thing and a notice of advancing cost
was so much a matter of course as TO
attract no attention whatever. 1t Is
"A proverb as old as man himself that
he who dances must pay the fiddler,
but when the tax notices were circulat-
ed q little over n week ago there was
an almost unanimous rush to take
club to the fiddler. Taxes are un-
fortunately year behind the times
and the raise that would otherwise
have come a year ago and attracted
no attention whatever, flew squarely
in the face of otherwise declining fig
ures for most everything else, and
raised n tempest.
A number of heavy taxpayers called
a mass meeting and the Elks club room
was filled to overflowing by those who
wanted to know how it happened and
what could be done about it. Charles
Maxwell, manager of the Lamar Flour
Mills, was made chairman OF the meet
ing and for q short time freight rates
and other matters were discussed, but
taxes like death cannot be safely ig-
nored for long and the speakers soon
got settled down to a thorough dis
cussion OF matters connected with tax
alton.
The raise in taxation outside Of such
changes as may have occurred in the
valuation consist of 4 4.57 mills raise
in school taxes and 4.9l mills raise IN
city taxes. Assessor A. J. Davy was
called on and explained that outside OF
changes of ownership which are con-
stantly taking place the changes IN
valuation were either new properly
placed on the list or raises ordered by
the state tax commission which is su-
preme on this subject.
President Alfred Todd of the school
board made an able defense oil that
body showing that new equipment was
necessary for the work Of the schools
and the increases in salaries neces-
sary If they were to maintain the
high standing of our schools added
$4,000 4 year to the payroll. When
he finished there were few that would
deny that he had made n clear case Oh
necessity for the increase so lar rs
tho school board was concerned was
justifiable.
Mayor +. J. Wayner and City At
torney w. E. Fee went into the ques-
tion of city taxes pretty thoroughly
and showed that the increase here was
due almost entirely to the immediate
needs for interest. etc. for the new
electric light plant. This plant was
endorsed as they Showed by almost
unanimous vote of the taxpayers two
ye.rs ago at the city election, and the
council gave ample notice of their IN
tention to build, the estimated cost
and the manner of issuing bonds, even
having the case presented to court Tor
n hearing end no objections were made
They claim the cost will be within the
original estimate of s2l5,000 exclusive
of the old light plant which was pro-
cured at less than the engineers esti-
mate.
There was then . general discussion
of all phases of the city government
bv dozens of citizens and questions
were liberally asked, all of which the
city officers answered with candor The
only points, it seemed, that there was
any considerable criticism was the
combined salary of the chief Of police
superintendent of what-not and gen.
eral factotum of the city, and the ten
per cent on total cost of electric ligh'
plant to be received by the engineer.
ing company. These two bones Oh
contention did not seem to be pleas
ing to most of the taxpayers. AS Tor
the plant itself, we believe II when
the new system is turned on II II
proves what we are all led to believe
II will be, the general relief from the
miserable excuse of light and power
plant, which we have endured for
number of years now, will cause all
n hi