The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-10-06
NEEDS DESPERATE REMEDY.
The State Federation Of Taxpayers

with cold figures taken from the rec
ords, an argument that carries con-
viction and leaves no room for dis
pute. 1t is not exaggerated political
propaganda used for the purpose OF
swaying voters from one party to an
other, but the stern. incontrovertible
facts, facts that the taxpayer must
face. and facing. work out ways and
means to correct, for II taxes are to
continue to increase as they have in
the past five years 1t will mean the
confiscation of all property in the
state. 1t is serious problem that is
confronting the people. and halt
must be made upon the reckless
spending OF public money If any re-
lief is to be hoped for. -
Recently the association issued a
tabulated statement Of the tax levy
of every county in the state, taken
from the records, comparing the tax
levy of 1916 with the tax levy OF 1921
and the enormous increase in every
item for which taxes are levied is APP
palling. The tax levy in Okanogan
county has almost doubled within five
years, and no one can say that the
people received better service in 1921
than was received in 1916, and the
county has nothing tangible to show
for the Increased expenditures. The
grand total Of tax levied in Okanogan
county, for all purposes in 1916 was
1913, 609.99. and in 1921 the grand to-
tai was $669,979.26. The increase in
every item for which taxes are levied
was shocking, but more especially in
the school and road levies. The school
taxes increased from $153.015.34 in
1916 to $330.930.41 in 1921, boost OF
$177.915.07, and no one can claim that
our schools are any better. nor that
the teaching staff is any superior, than
ii was five years ago. Tnen why
should our school tax more than
double within that short time? The
tax levy for roads in 1916 was
S2.6s5.01: for 1921 $l37, 491.43, an in
crease Of $54,S06.42. And it is hard to
figure out where so vast sum has
been expended upon the roads.
These are only two items in the var
iOus ones where there has been a
steady and shocking increase in
expenditures. Even the county general
current expense has increased from
$65,031.33 in 1916 to $96 1892. O8 in 1921,
boost of nearly so per cent with far
from so per cent increase in eff
cheney.
Now, the people themselves are
largely responsible for this steady ana
alarming increase In taxation. The
blame cannot be placed upon the
shoulders Of any political party. 1t is
q practice Of political demagogues, no
matter what party they represent, to
charge such increase to the party in
power. Oily tOngued speakers. know
ing that they are lying when they
make the statement, and equally un-
truthful writer's, charge up the in
crease taxes in this state to Governor
Hart. when he has about as mucl to
do with the levying of taxes as the
the resident OF Mars. Indeed. many
people Of this state wanted to hang
and quarter him when he vetoed GER
tain appropriations during the last ses-
|sion of the legislature. The whole blame
for excessive taxes rests upon the
taxpayers themselves, or at least most
Of the blame. That statement Is easily
verified.
When a legislator is elected he is
sent to Olympia with the understand
ing that he is going to get something
for his district, and that something
requires the expenditure of public
money. II he fails in his mission he
comes home with a cloud on his rec.
ord and his political career is ended
We all believe in retrenchment If re.
trenchment is applied to our neighbors
| in the next county. Our wants are rea1
and legitimate and the public strong
box should be pried open to supply
the means to meet our wants. Their
there is always horde of lobbiests
representing organizations that foster
fads that they feel that the state
should finance, haunting Olympia ant
making life miserable for legislators
Everybody is out to tap the public til
and evry Taper seems to have fol
lowing. those followers cursing the
Legislature II their demands are moi
granted, and cursing the legislature II
some other fellows demands are more
successful.
But the great indifference displayed
by the taxpayer is the voting of extra
taxes. IL an election Is called to in
crease some tax levy 80 times out o.
every 100 the vote favors the extra
levy and not one tenth of the voters
take the trouble to go to the polls tc
vote, so that the tax Is levied at the
demand of meagre minority. This
condition is to be seen every time ar
increased school tax is wanted fol
some purpose. The taxpayer shuns the
polls and then kicks his head off when
1t comes to paying the tax. This insid
ious way Of raising taxes can only be
eliminated by a requirement that 8
majority of the legal tax payers Of a
! DANA p Al !