The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1922-03-02
oREGoN's TAx-EAT.Us

Ino pOWVI VI buBBeStlOut lOI eNeIg
candidate for office, the tax investi-
cation commission, and practically
all the newspapers are uniting In
their declarations that Oregon is in
bad way.
It is unusual too, that they are all
apparently agreed, that the trouble
with Oregon Is that It is suffering
from tax-eat-us. The diagnosis is
perfect, all Of the specialists, for
wonder, are agreed. Even tho gen
eral practitioners OF street corner
fame are In agreement with the
specialists. as to the disease; but II
is tho treatment that Ii the cause OF
dispute. IL is too much to expect
to have agreement both as to the
cause OF the trouble and the cure;
but it is worth while TO note the
harmony OF opinion concerning one
phase. That Is important. II is
something to have u place to start
from. -.
Chief among the specialists who
have been called In to perscrlbe for
Ills OF Oregon is. the tax investigation
commission appointed by the COVER
nor OF tho legislature. This COM
mission blames the people, that is,
all OF us, for the trouble. The cost
OF government has increased be-
cause the people have not had the
courage to say no to tho various
fadists who have singly and In
groups asked for their particular
hobby.
Tho commission tells us that TAX
ing the general increase in living
costs, that the various institutions
are carefully managed and that the
cost per individual In each OF them
is not out Of line.
TO the construction OF roads, and
the improvements In educational ad-
yantages tho commission ascribed
most OF tho increase In tho cost OF
state and local government; and all
OF those increases have been author
lied by direct vote OF tho people
through the initiative and tho re-
ferendum.
Beside this, II is the people as u
whole, on whom rests the burden OF
guilt for the increase In the bonded
Indebtedness OF the various taxing
districts. state. county, city and
school districts. These bonds are
now calling for payment, and they
draw interest. That is one OF the
things that contributes to the tax
eat-us. Out OF every dollar that is
levied In Oregon a big portion goes
to the holders OF various kinds OF
honda.
Here In Malheur county whore the
evidence OF indebtedness represents
beside the usual capital require
nests for roads. bridges school
houses and other governmental ao-
tiyities, irrigation and drainage
bonds this element becomes very
material indeed.
The Argus ventures the belief that
II no new capital Investments were
made in Malheur county for ten
years, and a special tax OF six per
cent was levied for the retirement
OF present Indebtedness the taxing
units OF the county would only then
be ON cash basis.
The facts are. that generally
speaking. the taxing districts OF the
state are In the hands OF the bond
holders. The Malheur county gov
ernment Is in better condition than
the cities or the ssnool districts, or
the irrigation and drainage districts
While this condition exists In ore
gon the people may get little con-
ISOLATION from the fact that It Is also
true in Washington and Idaho, and
in practically every state In the I'm
ion. On the theory that misery
likes company, IL may help to know
this, but It will not work as a cure
for us to know the other fellow is
sick too.
Like many individuals the cities
and towns and every taxing unit has
gone too far with its credit. The
cure must be secured through two
sources; reduced expenses; and rev
enue secured from those now eseap-
ing their responsibility. The public
must ask less of the governmental
agencies to accomplish the former,
and the income tax appears to be
the only way OF reaching the latter
end. In this connection It is worth
while 10 note that Oregon is not
the only state in which the income
tax Is being advocated; Washing
ton aud Idaho both have this means
of revenue raising under consider