The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-01-05
TAXES SHOW
LIGHT INCREASE
TOTAL LEVY FOR CITY 1852 MILLS
Budget Committee Last Week Applied
Pruning Shears to Deputy Salary
Baker Allowed Expenses

Hood River the coming year will
be 7Q.6 mills, Just IL of a mill
| higher than last year. The separ-
ate levies are as follows: General,
county, state and school, 2032
mills; general city, 232 mills,
and city school district, 27.l. The
total county valuation is $40, 1885,
1928. The valuation in the city
is So, III, ,498.79.
The total of Hood River county
taxes, as set by a budget board in ses-
sion Thursday will reach S25l, 1898 for
the coming year. The budget board
items, as published in a tentative
budget, established early in the month,
were pruned as follows: Circuit court,
$3.50: deputy county clerks salary,
$500; deputy sheriff's salary, $500 ;
deputy assessors salary, $500; county
fruit inspector, $500; county library
! $500; bridge and culvert fund, 81 400 /;
expenses of district attorney, S400, and
general road fund, Sc, 600 The total
of the county budget last year was
$244. 033, the increase being an approx
innate three per cent.
A large crowd of rural residents.
chiefly members of different oranges,
were present, and d scussions waxed
warm at various times. The Pomona
Grange presented the budget board
with resolution, suggesting cuts in
the salaries of deputy county officers.
The resolution also disapproved of the
appeal of District Attorney Baker for
help from the county, as his salary of
| 81, 200 is paid by the state.
Mr.. Baker, in addressing the court
when items for his office, totaling
81, 900, as appearing in the tentative
budget came up for discussion, declared
that expenses of administering his
Office had increased very much during
the past year. He stated that this eX-
pense had come about as the result of
numerous violations of the traffic and
prohibition laws.
"Now," said the district attorney,
81 am called upon to take charge of
some dozen condemnation cases involv-
ing rights of way on the Mt. Hood
Loop Highway, all of which must be
tried out of the county and which will
necessitate railroad fare and hotel bills
on my part. Then in January find it
necessary to prepare for formal sale
by the sheriff large list of property
on which taxes are delinquent.
81 thank the people for naming me
for this office, but | would not have
taken it on silver platter, had |
known what they were handing me.
It has reached the point where | can
not attend to any private practice.
DO not like to be gutter, but can
not maintain the Office at loss. There
is no law against my resigning.
J. w. Morton made the initial talk
before the budget board asking for
81, 600 to be applied to opening a road
from his ranch to the Columbia River
Highway and also to provide an outlet
at Memo, on the Columbia river. He
was cited the law that provides for the
inclusion of new appropriations in the
tentative budget, and thus his petition
was tabled.
Robert Frey. who appeared as
spokesman for grangers, urged that
deputy's off ce of different county de-
partments be combined for sake of
economy.
A move was made to reduce the ap-
propriations of 81 300 for traffic offic-
ers, but the general consensus of opin-
ion that he funds thus provided were
we'll worth while. August Guignard,
who appeared with the grange delega-
ton, declared that he believed that
Hood River county's expenditure for
traffic policing the past year had prob
ably saved the community many dol
lars in damages. A like sentiment
was expressed by f. 0. Blanchar.
my son and | were over in the
Yakima country last year." said Mr..
Guignard. 81 just wish you could see
how reckless they are over there. We
were certainly glad to get back in here
in Hood River county, where Murray
keeps them straight. | had to pay
fine myself last year, and it was the
hardest money | ever paid. but be-
liove in traffic regulation.
The proposed appropriations for the
county fruit Inspector aroused consid-
erable discussion. While it was gener-
ally conceded that Inspector Arm
strong has conducted the office in
most efficient manner, the opinion was
advanced that his salary was too high.
in comparison with those of other
county officials, and cut of $500 was
made.
The suggestion was made during the
course of the meeting that the office OF
county engineer and roadmaster be
combined. 1t was also asked that the
salary Of County Roadmaster Nichols
be cut from 81. 400 TO $1,000. This
matter. however, is one that rests ex-
clusively with the county court.
The appropriations for the county
library called for the usual complaint
of rural residents that the county
should not be compelled to pay so per
cent of the taxes for the institution.
Members of the library board appeared
before the body and cited that they
would have to have the funds asked
for, If the library is maintained etfici-
emily the coming year. The sum OF
$500, however. was pruned of, and
this means that the city's appropria-
tions will also automatically be cut
like sum.
While the appropriation for the Ex-
pertinent Station was passed without
objection, the sentiment was advanced
that the stations cost should be borne
largely by the state. since the work
done here is not exclusively for use Of
the county but for all horticultural dis
tricts Of the state.
The tentative budget called for ex-
Of Sc. 400, to be taken out of
the culvert and bridge fund, on con-
structi0n Of a bridge over the east
fork Of Hood river replacing the old
crooked span there now. The budget
board was informed that a HOwe-truss
span can be built there for 5000. and
the appropriation was reduced 10 this
amount.
f. c. Miller. who stated that road
down from Dee to the DEVILS Punch
Bowl area can be constructed for
81, 600, opposed the appropriation. Mr..
Miller stated that the Punch Bowl was
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