The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1923-12-20
70 GET RIGHT ON TAXES
Worth Idaho Chamber of Commerce
DISCUSS Plans for Real Economy
In Public Expenditures.

Monday and Tuesday of last wee
Z strong efforts were made to get befol
,hs people of Idaho the reasons fl
,heir overtaxed condition, with th
boue that a better understanding q
Z the situation would bring about tn
not only needed but necessary ecor
omy Since this meeting the press 0
the state has given to the public tn
points brought out there, and the com
81 ment has been generally favorable.
Prominent among those making ad
i dresses was Chas. f. Arney, wei
known in the public service of Idaho
and Washington, and we are glad to
3 be able to repeat here portion of hi,
remarks. He said:
From the highest officials of our
4 federal government today, down
through the states, and among the
q thinking people of counties, munich
palities, school and road districts.
there is very widespread and gen
gal acknowledgment of tremendous.
unusual, unnecessary and unfortunate
tax burden.
I would not now, nor hive / ever
intended to assume the role of the
tlarmist or the extremist. desire
to be understood as occupying me
dunn position on the platform of econ |
Omy, harmonious with efficiency. 7 |
must not be charged with desire to
Illustrate reasonable, basic educational
needs or highway maintenance and
necessary construction, the incorpora-
non of better sanitary measures and
kindred things which tend to take care
Of present-day requirements and build
for better future.
The federal government tells ms that
IDAHO g debt last year was $61 ,693 900
-an increase of 1870 over her in
ebtedness for 1912, then estimated at
l4,l30,00. This covers all subdi-
isions of the commonwealth having
over to incur debts and collect rev. :
lue. Of this amount the state IS debt
s7,673,000, while that of the coum- q
es is 81, 1,255, ,000-all other subdi
sions having an Indebtedness I"
lounting to $40, 2,765,000, which rep g e
'ents cities, towns, school districts, !
image districts, irrigation and high =
y districts The per capita assessed -
luation increase from 1912 to 1922 IN
$ ffrom $442.2O TO $l054l6. The per at W
'ita tax levy in 1912 was $685. and !"
1929, $40.el. 50
5ou have formed separate organi- - -
ions in each of the counties in IN
'thern Idaho to work out honorable ie
efficient economies. You have in
eryision over quite all of the above ~
abtedness, save the states share, ~
e $7,000,000. In other words, it 9
p to you to set about to diminish r.
$54,000,000 indebtedness incurred -
the counties, cities, towns, school w.
ricts, drainage and irrigation dis -
is--if any in your territory--and ~ -,
disticts. If you do not do this, -
will leave heritage to your child -
a sad degree of bust ing
,s,or.lo yon yin L.1 ste
Gritty burden which viii cause Tor
/ to wonder if their progenitoys pee
worthy of the high trust of tnf
order of citizenship You can gro
afford to make your children and uis'
children's s children residnary leg son
, of such acts OF commission as ''"s
guided your course in the past 80
now. that this indebtedness has
incurred-by acts of omission, ~
rgic in character.
e basic reason for the existence
tax economy organization is TO
the taxpayers chance to express ko1o
9o.so' w sno'"' p'i'''S@ " p"D rend
'ffieials who are open-minded in 49,.
belief that they are represent 49,
he people in the wise conduct of now,
trust which they assume. Public i :
ials derive their authority from
voters, just as taxpayers leagues
and / am assuming, that which m
We, that the ordinary public of Chr;
is as anxious to execute his trust oi+v
as is the ordinary member of a first
eague. The
lividually, members of taxpayers Chr
es will disagree, and here enters will
ecessity of judicial determination the
he official. However, a repre- with
tive organization of taxpayers is
ed with machinery for investiga-
purposes, dealing with proposed Tn,
Iditures and sounding out the dan,
nent of taxpayers in particular bv
cal subdivisions. They also Fl
d have the opportunity of inquir- that
nto tax budgets by thorough but ervh
ly public discussion. Properly gene
leted, and organized in proper Chri
they can be made to help and of {
ct the public official as well as bio
axpayer. dav
'glas county, Oregon, has every Frat