Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-03-25
HOW ABOUT THESE?

| l have been eNpectantly watching
| the local newspapers for some state
! ment of fact from the famous Tax
| Protest League for some prolific facts
| showing how taxes could be reduced
! ny eliminating unnecessary eXpendi-
| lures. 1t is certain that the only way
| 10 reduce taxes is to spend less money.
and the big question is. what eXpendi-
lures can he eliminated or reduced?
AS the greater part of the tax bill is
spent at home. why not spend Il mo-
ment or so in looking ut home eXpen-
ditureS instead of spending all the
time talking of swivel chair jobs
that we actually know little about?
1t is easy to point out little wastes
in any government or in any business.
and some people keep SO busy hunting
out insignificant items that they over
look the things that really count.
Here are Just few items of eXpendi-
ture Ivy the present county board that
seem to require explanation if they
can be defended
There is the municipal court. 1t
adds no new service to the county at
large. 1t handles matters formerly
handled by justice courts. and a few
that formerly went into circuit court.
Most of the smaller counties avoid the
expense of this kind of court by invest
ing the county court with civil juris-
diction. Apparently the reason for our
county hoard establishing this court
was to furnish a job. There is $1,000
ii year of county money that the tax
professors overlook. although one of
their friends is Il beneficiary.
Up to and including 1918. the sal
AIRY of highway commissioners was
1900. In the fall of 1913, ii new
highway commissioner was elected, |
and the salary raised to $500. In |
the fall of 1919. the board provided for |
payment of an additional sum of 5000 |
per year as expenses. and appropriated
5000 for the year that had already |
passed Most public officials have TO |
county board made it Il lump sum and
let it go ut that And the fellows who |
moved and supported that sort Of APP |
preparation are the same fellows who |
are kicking about high taxes. When |
money is passed out in 5000 humps |
without asking for an accounting. do |
YOU wonder that taxes go up?
In the fall OF 1910. in addition to the |
additional. go-as-you-please expense |
appropriation of 5000. the salary was |
boosted to $1,000. The next spring the |
county board seems to have discovered |
some hitherto umSpent money. and they
provided for an assistant highway |
commissioner at il salary of 5000 per |
month.
Time rolls On-this expensive high |
way commissioner concluded to quit |
the Job. A successor was elected-and |
presto. change. the allowance for eX-
penSeS and the provision for an assist |
ant were Immediately wiped out. TO |
the tax protesters it seems to make Il
world of difference who gets the pub |
lie money.
At last falls session. the county
board provided for an assistant county
agent. to supervise land clearing. APP
propriating $4,000. The real estate
men and other tax prOtesters were the
originatOrs of this move, and now they
tell us that we should abolish the reg
uar county agent. Consistency, thou
are a jewel. but. for Heavens sake
don't get mixed into this tax protest
crowd 1t would seem that if there
is any line in which the swivel chair
expert is of little use. it is in land
clearing. Methods of farming develop |
rapidly. but clearing is chiefly Il mat
Ter of going to it and sticking to it. |
and no official dynamite agent can as
Sist very materially. But our tax pro-
testers would abolish the regular
agent and retain the dynamite promo
ter
Scripture says: physician. know
myself" Surely the professional tax
professors must know Of these and the
numerous other unnecessary expendf-