The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1922-09-15
TAXES
CAN BE
LOWERED

THE best evidence that taxes car
be reduced under pressure of demand
from the taxpayers is found in a com
parison Of the tax levies of 1920 anC
( 1921" says a statement issued by the
State Federation of Taxpayers asso
citations. "In 1920 the tax levy for al
purposeS-state. county. municipal
and district -- was $72,352, ,896. go
There was an insistent, but practic.
ally unorganized, demand for reduc
tion in expenditures. This demanc
resulted in a reduction of 4,146,086.6
in the levies for 1921, the total levy
for that year being cut to$6S ,206.-
s0962.
"This reduction is only a starting
point in tax cutting, as the compari-
son of tax levies for 1916 and 1921
shows total increase of S30.740,-
024.63, but it clearly shows what can
be done when the taxpayers are fully
organized.
'The State Federation of Taxpay-
ers' associations is organizing taxpay-
ers over the state for twenty-five
per cent cut in public expenditures.
Taxpayers must study the tax CUES
tion from the standpoint of local eX-
penditures and determine where re-
duction can be made and then force
such reductions by organized effort.
an addition to the tax levy of $685.
100000 in round figures, there was
collected and expended in 1921, ap-
proximately $25,000,000 of indirect
revenue collected in fees and licenses
by the several divisions of govern
ment. Nor is this all. Still another
large sum-fines and penalties-was
collected for which there is no present
available statistics. On top of state,
county, municipal. and district taxes
the taxpayers of the state of Wash
ington paid to the federal govern
ment, during 1919 and 1920, a grand
total of s45 100000 in federal income
and excess profit taxes.
"Another alarming feature of the
tax situation is the rapidly increasing
bonded public Indebtedness During
the brief period of seven years the
bonded debt has increased $85, ,654,-
996, or 81.30 per cent. Outstanding
bonded debt of the different divisions
of government for all purposes in 1915
was S105,352, ,547, and January /. 1922
it was $191, ,0O7,543. This is a per
capita debt of $139.87. Each year the
pressure of the levies imposed for the
annual interest on bonded debt be
comes greater. Last year the inter
est payments amounted to S8,77S,S42
or an annual interest charge of S6.43
per capita.
zone Of the most striking illustra-
tions Of the increased cost Of govern
ment is in the public schools.
in 1916, with daily average at
tendance of 191,441 pupils the total
amount Of money expended for public
school purposes was $13,080,271 .3S.
In 1921, with an average daily attend
ance Of 230, ,555 pupils, an increase of
39,114, the total amount expended was
S28,553, 1888, an increase of S15,473,-
061.62. In other words it cost $15,-
100000 in 1921 to educate the addi-
tional $4,000 children, as compared
with S13,000,000 to educate 191 900
children in 1916. The total cost per
pupil in 1916 was S6S.33. and in 1921
the per pupil cost was $123.S5, an in
crease of $55.52 per pupil The cost
for instruction, which includes teach
ers' salaries. text books and supplies,
was SS,054 ,89083 in 1916, and S16,-
473,436 in 1921. an increase of S8.41S,-
545.17.
"a few other comparisons will show
the general upward tendency of the
tax burden
'In 1916 the levy for state general
fund purposes was S1.S49,9S5.S4, and
IN 1921 S2.669 .1O3.4S. an increase of
sS1911764. For all other state pur-
poses. except public schools and roads.
the 1916 levy was s1,240, ,89710, and
in 1921 s4.195185.72 exclusive of the
soldiers bonus), an increase of 81
954 .2SS.62 The amount levied fo1
county general fund purposes. current
expense. in 1916 was $4.116.112.S3
and in 1921 S612947176, an increase
Of S2013,358.93 The 1916 levy for
municipal purposes was S8,571,s41.9f
and in 1921 s12.412, 1896, an increase
Of S3,s40,5S142 The total road levy
state and district-in 1916 wa,
s6.S69.94217, and in 1921 s11 ,461,-
37819, an increase of s4.591,436.02.
"All Of the figures quoted are ia,
levies for 1921. for collection and ex,
penditure in 1922.
occasional protests by disorgan
lied, individual taxpayers will not ac
complish results. The tax problem
involves every citizen in the state o.
Washington. regardless of class o.
political affiliation. It Is a problem
which must be solved by united, con
certed action.