Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-07
Does Not Amount To Hill OF
Beans So Far As Take.
Are Concerned" Says One
OF Staff; Gives Figures To
Prove His Contention;
Employees Appear Before
Board In A Body.

The reduction of salaries does not
amount to a hill of beans as far az
taxes are concerned" was the COM
ment of one county employee, affected
by the action of the board Of county
commissioners Friday in reducing
salaries Of appointive officers and
employees of the county. In support
or this statement he produced figures
to show that the tax on a quarter Sec
ton of land would only be decrea sed
from is to SO cents and on a $1,000
home in, Grand Forks it would only
amount to .032 cents With the as
sessed valuation of the county at s66.-
269,5SO and the total reduction OF
salaries amounting to $2,16O, the rate
would be .o0003259. In 1921 the tax
on $1,000 quarter section of land
was 1861. The tax on the same
piece of land will be only SO cents
less. S,N.
This shows ~conclusively," he con-
tinued. that the benefits derived bv
the Taxpayers does not justify the
hardships caused to the individuals
affected" =.
Protested in a Body.
The employees appeared this morn
ing in a body before the commission
ers and protested against the reduce
ton. but the only satisfaction given
them was a statement that IF you
can get higher wages elsewhere you
are at liberty to accept it,"
The commissioners further stated
that as long as farmers were hiring
help at SIS a month, and in view OF
the fact hat the purchasing price oy
the dollar has increased at least thirty
per cent. they felt they were justified
in reducing the salaries of county
employees. This is the second reduc-
ton in the county offices since the
war.
Another county elnploye presented
figures. showing that his personal ex:
pense accounts for 1921 had increased
50 and that his average monthly ex-
penses for 1921 amounted to $1O3.99.
this not including insurance, doctor
bills, recreation or taxes, and clothes
figured at SIS per month for a family
of four.
Lower Than Elsewhere.
Henry Holt, a vice president of the
Normanden Publishing Co., which
employs between Is and so people. ar
rived during the discussion and voiced
disapproval of the action of the board.
He stated that in his opinion the
county employees, considering the ma
ture of the work and their experience,
were the poorest paid of any in the
city. He said that in his institution
the average salary paid. including the
per month. Not including these two
offices, the average was $138 for the
same class of work thai is lone in the
court house, where the average is
about 800.
IF the county commissioners would
include themselves in the reduction,
we might take it with better grace"
said another. During the last session
of the legislature the commissioners
from this county were instrumental in
having a bill introduced raising their
passed. Furthermore they equip
ped one Of the jury rooms of the court
house at the county's expense. with
three beds and other accessories in
order to avoid hotel bills, when here
on business. AS it is they are drawing
$3.50 per month, this of course
including mileage. which doesn't
amount to much when autos are used.
The salaries of the county commits
sioners since June. 1920. Until June,
1921, are as follows: First district,
s1,417; Second district, s1.41e 81:
Third district. ~s1.34O.1O. and Fifth
$1,539.8O. Personally I think
much more could be accomplished in
actual saving to the county if they
curtailed road expenditures, which
everybody knows, have been enor-
NOUS"
The salaries affected bv the ruling
have been cut $40, with the exception
OF the assistant states attorney, which
cut $40. AS the county commits
sioners have no Jurisdiction over the
wages paid in the county superintend-
ents office. these were not affected.
In this office the deputy superintend-
.ent receives $176 and s132 respective
.ly and the county nurse $3.50.
The monthly wages Of employees in