White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-08-22
GOOD CAMPAIGN THUNDER
SPOILED BY FACTS

A news item that appeared en-
the front page of last weeks Pros.
ser Record Bulletin, purporting to
give an account of the action of
the board of equalization-the
three county missioners, asses
scr and auditor-on the assessed
valuation of the Pacific Power 4
Light company properties in the
county, was used this week by
booster for one of the candidates
for county commissioner in an at
tempt to discredit another cardi-
date. The alleged news item"
read as follows.
The assessed valuation of the Pa
cific Power & Light Company prop
erty in Benton county was reduced
from $4,000 to $6S2,eoo by the
board of county commissioners act
ing as board of equalization this
week, after company officials had
convinced its members that the val
uations placed on certain of its prop
ertes were too high.
"The Kennewick store was cut
from $4,000 to $4,000 by the board
and the Kennewick- Plymouth trans
mission line was reduced from
$4,000 to $s5,Ooo.
"R. ]. Davidson, engineer for the
company, Henry S. Gary, its attor-
ney, and c. S. Knowles, superintend-
ent of construction were the company
officials appearing before the board"
When shown this item, County
Commissioner r. n. Briggs, chair
man of the board, who was in White
Bluffs Tuesday evening said he was
unable to understand from what
source the Prosser paper got its in
formation. According to Mr.. Briggs
P. P. & L. officials appeared before
the board of equalization on only
three matters First the value of the
Kennewick- Plymouth line, second the
valuation of the Kennewick store and
the third the valuation of new lines
in this valley. The Kennewick-P Ply
mouth line is new construction and
has never been on the tax rolls. The
county assessor had no way of know
ing the true value of this property
and he purposely placed high value
on the line with tho idea Of forcing
the company to prove the value be-
fore the equaEzation board. This
they did by fling sworn itemized
statements showing the exact and
entire cost of the lihel From this
statement the board arrived at the
The power officials asked
for reduction in the assessed
valuation of the Kennewick store
from $4,000 to $4,000 and filed
their inventory showing that their
book valuation of the store was
slightly in excess of $4,000. The
board refused the requests for the
$4,000 reduction and granted $5,-
600 reduction. The assessed valua-
ton of the new lines constructed by
the company in this valley during
the last year was fixed by the board
at approximately S2s,00o (Mr. Briggs
said he did not remember the exact
figure.) So that the only reduction
allowed the P. P. & L. company
was the $4,000 on the Kennewick
store while, with the new property,
the company will be paying taxes
next year on $1O5,0O0 more than this
year. Incidentally, Mr.. Briggs said
that the P. P. & l.. valuations in this
county are as high as in any county
in which the company operates and
higher than in some
Of the counties. Mr.. Briggs also
called attention to the fact that the
commissioners proceedings are
matter of public record in the coun-
ty auditors office and his statements
on this or any other matter can be
verified by any one interested.