The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1923-11-23
| axes In
Sheridan
County
County Taxes Lower But City
and School Taxes are High
er in Most Places.
MUST FOLLOW ACTION
OF COUNTY OFFICIALS


The mailing of the annual tax
statements from the office OF the
County Treasurer is almost completed.
With each tax notice a letter of in
StTuctiOn is sent explaining the new
law providing for the semi~annual
paymet of zeal property taXes-wjtI
the exception OF city Special Improve
ment taxes--aHd outlining the m4>lad
of payment. We note that his let
ter also calls attention to the reGuc-
ton of one mill which was made IN
the county levy this year.
Most of the taxpayers will find Il air
taxes lower this year on an eGuai
valuation basis as compared with last
year; others will find them higher,
either on account of higher valua-
tiOns or on account of increases in
the City, Town or School District
levies. 1t is we'll to remember that
the levies for City, Town or School
District purposes is a local matter
for each city, town or school district,
and can not be confused with the
county taxes.
In many cases the levies for School
Districts, Town or City taxes have
been increased, either on account of
large Indebtedness or on account of
additional expenditures made by them
for divers reasons. In a few in
stances the levies for the School Dis
tricts, Towns or Cities have been low
ered but the increases are many more
than the decreases and the taxpayers
should take special note of all in
creases. Your county government
has demonstrated that it is possible to
lower the taxes and there should be
no valid reason for not doing what
the county government has demon
strated that can be done. If a City,
School District or Town is persist
emily increasing the levies for the
purpose of operating its institutions
or its government, it is time to lnves-
tigate the reason for the increases.
In many cases throughout Sheridan
County, the local municipalities are
making no headway toward liquidat-
ing their outstanding debts. In fact
| this is true in most cases. In other
cases the local municipality is actual
ly increasing its indebtedness by leaps
and bounds. In other words, it is not
only spendig what is raised by the ev-
er-increasing tax levy, but is actually
! loading additional burdens on the
/ future.
| We could cite many instances where
! this is true. In some cases the
School Board or the City Council as
! tifv increases in the bonded or war
rant Indebtedness by stating that they
! have a great amount OF outstanding
! taxes vet to collect. In fact, there
! is no foundation for these contentious.
! The delinquent taxes during the past
two years have been paid in greater
proportions than the amounts uncol-
lected during the current year. IN
OTHER WORDS, THE AMOUNT OF
CURRENT TAXES THAT HAVE
REMAINED UNPAID ON NOV. 80
HAS BEEN SMALLER IN MOST
CASES THAN THE AMOUNT COIL
LECTED ON OLDER DELINQUENT
TAXES. There should therefore, be
no increase whatsoever, in the war
rant or outstanding bonded indebted
ness in any case.
In citing facts AID figures on this
subject, we take Sheridan County as
a worthy example. Some people ar
que that as Sheridan County has de
creased in size, it should naturally
Operate on smaller revenues than
heretofore. These people forget en-
tirelv the fact that with the decrease
in size, it also decreases in valuation
and naturally the tax roll decreases
A large county should operate fol
4 less per capita than small county
A small county must maintain a full
set of officials the same as a large
county, and defray all the expenses
Continued on Page Four)