The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1922-02-16
OFFICE OF THE TAX COMMITS
SION
Topeka, Kansas, Jan. 26, 1922

Topeka, Kansas, Jan. &c, 1922
To the Public:
The increasing tax burden has
caused the Tax Commission to fire.
quently call attention thereto in a
public way and to urge the necessity
of limiting public expenditures in so
far as IS possible.
In its report to the legislature Of
1909 there were suggestions made to
the legislature concerning the rapid
increase in taxation, as follow:
''This remarkable increase is a
subject for careful thought. In the
short psace of six years the total tax
burden in the state has increased
nearly one-half Whether there is
justification for it depends upon the
point of view. An attempt has been
made to ascertain he causes of the
increase, but the resulting informa
ton is of such varied character as to
permit of no certain classification of
causes
After detailing the causes at some
length it was further said:
at is a truism, however, that all
public expenditures should be upon
lines of rigid economy, and it is be-
iieved that were this policy generally
observed the present burden of taxa
ton might be lightened in no small
degree. A case in point may be
pertinent. One city of the state had
in 1904 accumulated a floating debt
of $4,000. A new administration
determined upon a policy of re-
\ L.. i
and since 1904 the city has lived
the fact that since that year paving
has been done to the extent of
quarter of a million dollars, forty per
cent of which is a charge upon the
city in general.
'"This subject has been treated of
at such length solely for the purpose
of endeavoring to impress upon adj
ministrative and taxing officers the
desirability and Importance of sub
serving the public welfare by limit
ing public expenditures to the lowest
possible amount in order that the tax
burden may be no further increased,
and possibly may be leSsened."
In its report of 1911 to the legis-
lature what was said in the report of
1909 was referred to, and further it
was suggested as follows:
at was there shown that the in
creasing expenditures of municipal
tiles was necessitated by the general
advance in prices Of all commodities,
coupled with the unavoidable de-
mand for new bridges, county, city
and school buildings, sewers, etc.
The same causes of increase have
operated the country over. and the
condition in this state is in harmony
with the general condition.
''The information here given will
probably suggest that economy in
public expenditures in alh lines
should be rigidly enforced
In the report to the legislature of
1913, after some preliminary re
marks and a reference to what was
said in the report of 1909, the sugl
gestions to the legislature of that
year concluded as follows:
1.-THE conclusion which persons
thinking upon the subject will in
evitably reach is that the most rigid
economy in public expenditures must
be observed if the hitherto heavy in
crease in the tax burden from year
when the fact is realized that the
control of taxation is with the people
and should be exercised most vigor-
Ously where the burden is most
weighty, but everywhere exercised
to the proper extent, the desired re-
lief will come in fuller measure than
is possible under present conditions"
In the report to the legislature of
1915 reference was again made to
what was said in the report of 1909,
and the Commission said further as
follows:
some thought is constantly to the
fore when the subject is under con-
sideration, and that is the great need
there is for the organization of pub
die service in all departments upon
efficient lines, 50 that the utmost
economy in public expenditures may
be observed"
In the report to the legislature in
1917 the Commission said:
Attention is called to what was
said in previous reports as to the
necessity for an organization of the
public service~in all departments up
on efficient business lines, so as to
limit public expenditures to the
economical needs of the service, and
it is now desired to reafirm what
was then said"
In the report to the legislature of
1919 was the following suggestion:
''While increased cost of consum-
able articles is inevitably attended
by increased public expenditures,
such a condition calls for the closest
scrutiny of expenditures that can
possibly be made by authorities in
charge of such expenditures, so that
disbursements may be limited to the
economical needs of the public serw-