The Bismarck tribune., 1922-06-08

Will agree With me that telephone
property is taxed too much. At least
l hope you will agree with me, and
you will, perhaps, agree that all
property is taxed too much. This is
naturally true because we are spend
ing too much. There may be a diff
ference of opinion as to whether We
are buying too much for the public
but at any rate, we are spending toe
much, and the amount we are paying
at present prices makes our tax totals
run up into stupendous amounts, and
makes the tax burden very great
burden indeed.
"May we expect a substantial re.
duction of taxes in the near future
The answer is to be found in the
amounts of the levies being made by
the governing boards Of townships
school districts, counties and cities
The larger portion by far Of our tax
money is expended by these local
units of government, or about 85 pei
cent of the total amount raised by
taxation within the boundaries Of our
state.
Looking For Reduced Taxes
owe have no way of knowing, as
yet, how the total Of these levies this
year will compare with those of re-
cent years. We hope that the officials
of each unit Of government will find
it possible to make curtailment OF
expenditures so that the aggregate
amount saved will be reflected in a
substantial reduction of the tax burd-
en-. We must recognize, however, that
these local boards are limited in their
authority and in their opportunity to
reduce expenditures. For instance
county commissioners find that most
Of the items of county expense are
matters over which they have little
or no control.
The most important single factor
affecting the price of everything re-
quired by government units is the
transportation bill. Because it affects
the cost Of living, it affects the wag-
es which must be paid, the allowances
which must be made for mothers
pensions. and similar items Of ex-
pense. There is nothing the cost Of
which is not greatly influenced by
transportation charges.
The transportation burden of the
United States, as whole, increased
about 46 percent from 1916 to 1920
The big in crease in freight rates was
operative during only portion of the
calendar year for 1920. The figures
would be more impressive still for
1921, particularly, if the comparison
was on the basis of the cost per ton
mile. If it be true that such increases
are multiplied bv five by the time
they reach the ultimate consumer, it
will be seen of how very grave i'm
portance such increases are and what
powerful factor they must be in
producing the increases in the expen.
ditures Of governments, state and
local. The direct burden of railway
transportation during 1920 for the
United States as whole, was, appro-
ximately $54.OO per capita as CON-
pared with a per capita burden of
taxation in North Dakota including
the &c per acre hail. tax Of $49.45
and as compared with tax burden
for the United States government
Of $54.0O per CAPITA"
In the course of his address, Mr..
Converse explained the methods of
taxation, went into details as to the
taxes laid last year by the state
board of equalization upon the differ
ent classes Of telephone property,
and explained the difficulty of ad-
ministering general property tax,
whether upon telephones, or upon
farm personal property or any other
kind Of property, because Of the diff
ficulty Of arriving at correct as
sessed correct valuation.