Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-06-22
WARNING BY
ROBERTSON
STATE TAX AGENT URGES CON.
{ CERTRD EFFORT TO REDUCE
TAXES IN IDAHO
STATISTICS PROVE ARGUMENTS
Idaho State Tax Is Lower Than the
Surrounding States.

met with a small company OF citizens
at the |. o. o. f. hall last Thurs
day night and gave an interesting
talk on the tax situation in Idaho and
Boundary county.
His address did not SAVIOR in any
way of politics but contained food
for thought and a warning which
should have been heard by every tax
payer Of this district.
Mr. Robertson was introduced by
Major Walker, with whom he served
in the Idaho legislature. In his open
ing remarks he said that the tax
problem was in no manner a political
question although it had always been
made a political football. He told of
his experiences in Idaho under both
republican and democratic admins
trations when his services had been
requested in the effort to adjust tax
problems. His visit to this county
came about as a result of his effort
to secure data which is to be pre-
sented to the state board of eQualiza-
tion at its next meeting to enable it
to equalize county valuations.
The speaker illustrated the main
points of his talk with large charts
First he showed that of every dollar
of taxes received by the federal gov
ernment all but seven cents now goes
towards paying war debts or for ex-
penditures dealing with the army or
navy.
He emphasized the fact that the
state tax is small in Idaho and that
in Bonners Ferry only 8 cents out of
4 ,T
state. He gave statistics from other
northwestern states proving that the
Idaho state tax in nearly every in
stance is smaller than that of sister
states. He said, however, that state
taxes could and should be reduced
Taking the state of Connecticut, he
said that S5 per cent Of every dollar
raised for taxation goes into the in
terest and sinking fund to pay for
bonded Indebtedness and he thought
that at the present rate Idaho would
soon be in similar position if a halt
is not soon called in the way Of bond
voting.
He urged that the taxpayers see to
il that the tax expenditures should
not increase more rapidly than the
county increases in population and
valuations raise.
Mr.. Robertson urged that the tax
payers insist upon having appointed
a state tax commission with members
appointed without regard to their
party affiliations such a commission
to have power to deny bonding rights
after a certain conservative limit.
Mr. Robertson showed that in 1921
Boundary county paid into the state
treasury $3S,3S226 and that the state
returned to the county for school
funds, road work, etc, the sum of $21,-
94906. In 1921 the valuation of Bon
ners Ferry was $520305, the tax lev
led was $40,54271. The county taxes
for all sources was $294,63617, of
which $113,613.16 went to public
: schools; $64 S00.73 went to county ex-
penditures; $25,S4074 was for high
r ways and $14,600.39 was for drain
, age.
I His figures showed that from 1913
to 1921 the increase in population in
t Boundary county was 283 per cent
5 the decrease in valuations was 1919
r per cent; the increase in county gen.
! eral taxes was rs per cent; the in
e crease in general school taxes was
. for highways was 1873 per cent; the
r increase in village taxation was SIC
8 per cent and the increase in bond
Indebtedness was 4S7 per cent. These
percentages are not accurate on ac-
count of the fact that the 1913 figures
on which they are based were taker
9 from Bonner county records and il
1913 Boundary county was part O
. Bonner county.
\ He argued that in the United State!
some provision must be made to aban
! don tax free securities, claiming tina
i moneyed interests have invested il
tax free securities to such an exten
= as to make taxation upon real prop
erty. unprotected by exemptions, al
9 most unbearable and certainly mos
- Improbable. He quoted an instanc
where in an eastern state the attor
I. neys for a large estate had sold of
real property and invested the re
turns in tax free securities and ha
by so doing nearly doubled the rev
enue from the estate.
If Mr. Robertson bemoaned the fac
n that only 40 per cent of the voter
s are taxpayers and that ii is possibl
,e under state and county governmen
Ie for non-taxpayers TO vote bond
ie which the taxable property must pa.
le He urged the formation in ever
* county of taxpayers leagues and tn
banding together of the taxpayers fc
'r the purpose of studying tax prol
$. lens and determining upon a cours
S. to pursue which in future years woul
'e lessen taxation and eventually max
it profitable to own real property.
In speaking of the increase in tax;
1t ton from 1913 to 1921 Mr. Robertso
n showed that the school tax has il
le creased more than any other and tn;
he at the present time in Idaho AT CEN
ID ont of every tax dollar goes for scho,
as purposes