Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-02-17
,.,ors Easing the Burden Of Taxes
wider Distribution of the
Tax Load

o,o Of the ablest and most
IN ,angtful discussions of the tax
&c stion at the meeting held in Col
q last saturday was given by State
senator Wilmer Of Rosalia, who read
!. ne following paper
! what shall say will be from the
= .ondnoint of farm taxation, for two
asons First, farm property com
.isoe nearly 70 per cent of the as
e ssable property in Whitman coun-
and more than so per cent other
I n tban railway property Second, 1t
tho common belief that the agri-
,ltural depression is what is hold
10 hack national prosperity. In
whitman county, at least, taxes are
a,o If the principal causes for the
aggression. Therefore we are all in
4orosted in the mitigation of the evil
. u,botber we are farmers, merchants,
bankers or professional men.
After-war readjustments have
.oten place with most things, but
taxes remain at the peak load. Ag-
ricuture is in acute distress. Land
yolues and farm prices have fallen
~ 1914 levels but farm taxes are
three times what they were in 1914.
Pusiness waits on the farmer for
the forward march, but the farmer,
staggering under the tax load. can
not fall in step. National prosperity
is halted by the agricultural depres-
sion The problem therefore is not
IN the farmer alone. Other tribula-
lions yet beset him, but taxes remain
the most grievous.
Taxes must be reduced but how,
and to what extent?
Since farm products are at 1914
price levels, farm expenses yet aver
age higher, and farm taxes are
three times as great as in 1914, a
reduction of so per cent will yet
leave farm taxes so per cent higher
than in 1914, and no less reduction
can be regarded as adequate.
1t is obvious that taxes can be re-
duced by two processes only. By
reducing expenditures and by wider
distribution of the tax load. How
far can reductions be effected by saw
ings in expenditures? Let us look
into this. The average farm tax
levy for the current year in Whit
man county is Ala mills. All good
e land without improvements east of
E the north and south line through
+ the middle of range AZ, approximate
r ly the line of the state road, Rosalia
Z to ColfaX, is assessed at $40 per
Z acre The average tax is $26496
Fl West of that line valuations step
down in three mile steps OF $500
per acre. The average assessment
is S27 per acre, about two-thirds of
Il that of the eastern section. Fifty
one cents on the farm tax dollar
goes for education, or 1896 per quar-
ter of land in the eastern section
and two-thirds as much average in
the western section. OF this 1886
school tax, higher education gets
4 about SIT or 6 "a cents of the tax
Z dollar. This tax has been fixed by
L law for the next four years, at the
present rate The demands of these
institutions were much scaled down
at the last session. They are now
& overcrowded, lack buildings and
equipment. The University and
State College are no longer free
schools, tuition charge for students
from outside the state having been
established at the last session. The
desire for higher education is in
creasing, and with the growth of
population, I see no prospect for a
Z dlminution of this tax
+ Through the operation of the 90
L III plan of the state school tax, more
Il than 100000 is lost to the county,
4 ABOUT five cents of the tax dollar,
9l4 to the quarter section. If the
@o-lO plan now urged is adopted, it
VIII cost the county an increase of
more than 500, 900 additional, in
taxes.
Ihis leaves about sos of the
school tax per quarter, 40 cents of
tue tax dollar that is expended in
Z our county schools. Since more than
t"o-thirds of our school expense is
iof teachers salaries, the uestion of
teachers salaries can not be ignored
!" this discussion. Other school ex-
ING pond and interest requirements,
ins' bond an dinterest requirements,
'hat can not be reduced. To make
saving, either salaries must be scaled
uuced' by eliminating such subjects
% manual training. domestic science,
pHysicai training, music and the
commercial course. We must be
Taieiul In what we do to our schools.
education is of the highest impor-
'ance The future of our country