The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1922-04-07
COUNTY ROAD COMMISSIONERS
PROTEST TAX RATE CUT


ducing the county tax rate in Bour-
bon county from SO cents on the
500 to IS cents, Messrs. Catesby
Spears, Sam Clay and Sam Houston,
members of the Bourbon County
Road Commission, have issued the
following statement which will ex-
plain the situation in this county
in a manner which has possibly not
been made clear to many taxpayers:
An article appeared in the Ken
tuckian-Citizen few days ago ap-
pealing to the Fiscal Court of Bour-
bon county and to the taxpayers to
reduce the county tax rate Is cents
on the 500.
Any demand to reduce taxes will
always meet with popular approval
and the converse is also true, that
any argument to uphold taxes will
always be unpopular. But we
should look upon this question not as
a matter of popularity, but rather
as business.
In plain words, is it good bust
bon county under existing condi-
tions?
In the beginning, any reduction
in taxes must necessarily be taken
almost entirely from the road fund |;
the State rate of taxation upon all
tangible property is 40 cents on
each 500, and this cannot be
changed by the Fiscal Court While
the Fiscal Court levies the amount
on the school tax for county pur-
poses, yet the amount required is
fixed by an order Of the County
Board of Education and the Fiscal
Court has no right to reduce this
amount. The special 20-cent road
tax voted in the fall of 1919 cannot
be changed by an order of court.
The only possible change that can
come is in the old 50-cent rate
which has been established and paid
in this county for more than Is
years.
The argument to reduce any pOr-
ton of this would never be present
cent road tax was voted less than
three years ago.
Out of this 50-cent tax all general
expenses of the county are paid,
such as maintaining the county in
Urinary, Jail, court house, salaries
hospital, charities and any and all
claims against the county. The bal
ance left is used for road purposes,
and, as these various general ex-
penses are largely fixed, it neces-
sarily follows that any reduction
made must be borne by the road
fund.
1t is stated that material and la
Dor are cheaper. This was antici-
pated three years ago when the ques-
ton of bond issue was first pro-
posed, and for this reason, the plan
was adopted of using the issue over
period of five years.
| The increase in valuation is also
urged as a reason for the reduction
The increase in the use of our ROADS
has been greater.
On the strength of the peoples
vote and relying on the cooperation
of the Fiscal Court, the commission
ers purchased for the county large
amount of road equipment for thu
purpose of carrying out their plan:
which were to extend over perloC
of at least five years. Up to thu
present time, one-half of the bono
issue has been sold and expended
Should the Fiscal Court reduce thu
tax rate Is cents on the 500 they
practically nullify the special roat
tax of 2 cents which was to take
care of the bond issue.
Should the Fiscal Court undo by
their vote what an overwhelming
majority of the people of Bourbon
county voted to do less than three
years ago?
If this reduction is made and {
similar reduction made next year
the available funds will not allow
the present rate of construction tt
extend beyond the middle of 1928.
The past two years about IS mile!
have been reconstructed. Two year:
ago only about 25 miles of road wa:
found up to a standard to justify
surface treatment and maintenance
This has been done and these q
miles are in better condition today
than they were two years ago.
By the aid of the best machinery
and equipment, the work has beer
done with a saving of approximately
25 per cent. of what it would nave
cost by contract; this after due al
lowance has been made for deprecja'
ton in value of equipment.
If this reduction is made, by next
year, the entire bond issue will bt
expended with less than half of the
roads reconstructed, and the availa
BILE revenue so small that all of i
will be required for maintenance
Machinery and equipment will b.
idle, or have to be sold at a sacri
flee.
The reduction in the tax rate o
Is cents on each 500 is but small