American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-01-20
COMMITTEE ASKS
COMMISSIONERS
FOR REDUCED TAX
WANT CUT OF TWENTY FIVE PER-
CENT IN SALARIES-LEARN COR
RESPONDING REDUCTION In TAX
WOULD BE VERY SLIGHT.
BOARD ASKS SUGGESTIONS
Delegation Headed BY Isaak Learns
Much Concerning Tax Matters In
The COunty-FayOrable Comparative
Report Made by Auditor.

A delegation of taxpayers, headed by
John d. Isaak interviewed the Coun-
ty Commissioners and officials Mon
day afternoon to ascertain If there waS
not some method of reducing the taxes
of the county. Various items of coun-
ty business were gone into including
salaries, bonded indebtedness, office
| expense, schools and roads. The only
request made of the commissioners was
that salaries be given rs percent re-
duction. This reduction would make
difference of 80 cents per hundred
dollars of taxes according to the COM
pilation of Auditor G. Lee French.
The interview was, in reality, a dia-
logue between Auditor French and Mr..
Isaak, a dialogue that grew rather
caustic at times, and kept the meeting
on edge for developments. The COM
misioners and county officials inter
rupted occasionally to explain more
fully the various answers to the ques-
tions asked by Mr.. Isaak and his dele
cation.
Asked About Salaries.
: Mr.. Isaak went into salaries of the
various officials first, and asked il
there was not an opportunity for re-
! duction. He cited the decline of farm
. products and the wage received by the
average farmer as an argument for a
, reduction in county officials wages.
Mr.. French replied that the total sal
aries of county officials approximated
T. $19,500 a year and that % percent
| reduction on that amount would mean
+ a decrease in taxes of 80 cents on the
a hundred. dollars of total taxes.
Q An attack on the farm bureau was
: anticipated. 1t was pointed out thai
:. this activity cost the taxpayer 62c or
the hundred dollars of the county tax
Mr.. Isaak stated that in case Their
was a marked reduction in taxes,
?. was his opinion that the Farm Bureau
a should be the last item to receive tn
l. cut for it was the only institution
If maintained for the direct benefit o
i the farmer. This opoinion was con
d Cured in by others present
Critfsed Auditor.
y = Mr.. Isak asked Mr.. French just hoy
Il many hours he worked each day ant
if it wasn't true that he was out of hi
Ioffice great deal of the time to which
Mr.. rench replied in effect that h,
worked from nine in the morning unit
five in the afternoon exactly as this
law stipulated. He stated tlso tha
4. Lduring the last sixty days he ha(
I worked overtime thirty one nights fol
n an average OF IuF6S 10 seven nOurf
each night. The dialogue grew con
siderably warmer here as Mr.. French
stated that he had been accused il
n various rumors of not attending t.
I, business and that Mr.. Isaak had as
n sited in spreading those rumors-
AS a matter of general information
Mr.. French then asked Mr.. Isaak wha
lie he presumed to be the cost of larg,
r record book lying on the table. Mr.
re Isaak guessed the cost to be $40. Mi
ID French then quoted the price of tn
n book as $14S and cited the instance a
f. a misconception generally held regard
10 ing the cost of doing business. HI
rs further stated, that his Office with tn
same number of deputies that it hat
is had in 1918, was handling twice tn
re volume of business now that it wa
t. then. He also stated that his offic
n was self supporting with the excep
ce tion of his own salary and that in addi
10 ton to this support some $500 had beel
turned in to the current expense fun
IL of the county.
Treasurer Has No Deputies.
g 1t was stated that the county treas
urere has no deputy except durin
q certain weeks of unusual activity