The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1922-03-02

=, - q h
of the Republican argument, it cal,
not be denied that the counties ma.
raise their local taxes ten per cen
4 and be within the provisions of thi
4 Republican = statute. As heretofore
| pointed out, this would amount t
| Ss,oos, $500 in the entire state, lie
US see how it would work in some o.
the counties blessed with Republican
county officials. Let lis take few
at random, and find out whether the
taxes in these counties have not been
raised both for state amid local pur
poses.
Adair's> eounty's collector - was
charged with $22,678.42 for 1920 taxes
and with SCI .868S6 for 1921. In addi-
tion, the county court, under this ten
per cent clause, could have raised To-
cal taxes $26,27o.
Benton county was due to pay in
state taxes, according to the State
Auditors report, from which all of
these figures are taken, S13,o8o.23 for
1920, as against $1S,o68.4o for 1921.
Ten per cent of Benton's county
taxes would be $Io,o71.
Caldwell: State taxes, 1920, $751;
o47.oI; 1921, $3o,o96.8o; ten per cent
OF the proceeding county tax, $2o,-
o3I.
Daviess, State taxes, 1920, $26,-
assoc 1921, $35,585.6o; ten per cent
OF the preceding county tax, $24,667.
franklin: State taxes, 1920, $780,
oS9.o1; 1921, $32,1S3.o7; ten per cent
of the 1920 county tax, $2I,453.
Grundy: State taxes, 1920. SAL
o74.77; 1921, $so,o45.oo; ten per cent
OF the 1920 county tax, $2I,74o.
Mercer: State taxes, 1920, $14153,-
40; 1921, $a1,1so.3o; ten per cent
county iscreased authorized, $I3,-
ool.
Pettis: State taxes, 1920, $4,000
20; 1921, $51,27o.3S; ten per cent of
the 1920 county tax, $43,565.
Putnam: State taxes, 1920, $Io,472.-
81; 1921, $22,o35.25; ten per cent Of
The 1920 county tax, $Io,456.-
Miller; State taxes, 1920, $II,54I.-
80; 1921, sI3,27575; ten per cent of
1920 county tax, $Io,072.
Morgan: State taxes, 1920, $I1,2o7.-
y 102I, $Io,45L75; ten per cent of
1870 county tax. $II,25I.
St Charles: State taxes, 1920, $2S,-
'Io,2o; 1921, $35,o27.o5; ten per cent
II 1920 county tax, $IS,5o4.
Warren: State taxes, 1920, $o,587.o3;
o2I, $I3,123.77; ten per cent of 1920
ounty tax, $o,S74.
The significance of these figures
annot be overlooked. The 1920 state
nd county tax figures are taken
rom the State Auditors report, and
how the amounts charged against
he collectors books. The 1921 state
ak figures are computed at the rate
f 10 cents on the 100 on the assess
d valuation. The ten per cent shows
he amount of the increase in county
axes specifically and explicitly au-
horized by the Fifty-first General
Assembly. Both calculations show ;
he utter falsity Of the Governors
laims. The same figures can be ;
i'll any county in the I
ate, showing net authorized in t
rease under the law. If county
lxes were not increased, then the
ounty boards are entitled to the q
edit, because they receive the au-
lority to do SO, to the extent indi- il
ated, from the Republican General G
ssembly. If county taxes were in t
eased in amy county beyond that {
cure it was because the local boards
ought the act OF the General AS !,
mbly invalid-which is the view
most of the legal authorities of the /,
ate, because the Constitution fixes G.
maximum for county taxes and the h
sislature has no power to change it. Ct
Pursuing the inquiry, it is worth d
lille to consider the question of pay q
,nts in taxes Tor state purposes by al
= entire state without reference to
1ividual counties. 1t is claimed that
. total amount of state taxes to be Of
id in 1921 was about 100000 less liz
In in 1920, including the blind pen "
N tax. Parenthetically, it may be W
marked that the process OF reason P
, which omits the consideration OF M
blind tax, when it is levied against -
new assessment, has to be paid ..
1 is included in all tax bills, is pure
ocy, and everybody knows it. Sup
Sc the gross amount collected was
5000 lower on state taxes, if the
islature authorized the county
lrts to increase county taxes ten
/. -aof ,vh;ch would a,,,o,,ut m &c I'LL