White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-02-19
AUDITORS ANNUAL REPORT

A study of the annual report oil
Benton County reveals many things
that should be of interest to the tax
payers of the county. The publica-
ton of this report in book form has
been discontinued in the interest OF
economy, and because the lack of in
terest in it on the part Of county resi-
dents did not seem to justify the ex-
pense. The. information therein
contained is of public record however
and is open to anyone who may be
sufficiently interested to inquire.
The Treasurer's cash Dec. 81, 1925
showed a balance of S166, e30.32
which was secured by surety bonds
and other securities amounting to
100000. OF this amount there was
on deposit in the Prosser State Banl.
$41,133.47; Yakima Valley Bank $24,-
600; First National Bank, Kennewick
$4,000; Security State Bank, Rich
land, $4,000; First State Bank,
White Bluffs, $4,000; Cash in vault
$16,s46s5.
The report shows interest pay
lrents for the year to have been
nearly $4,000. OF this $9,607.60 was
paid on school warrants and the bal
ance on irrigation and drainage war
rants. The interest rate on school
warrants has been reduced within the
past two years from per cent to 6
per cent and on irrigation warrants
a reduction of ! per cent has been
made to per cent which they now
draw.
The outstanding warrant obligation
ct the various taxing districts of the
county totals $246, 146.42 as against
$2S7, 027.80 a year ago or a reduction
of $40,8Sl.38. School warrants out
standing show "a reduction of approx
irnately $4,000 while irrigation war;
rants show an increase of 81 1000. On
this showing of the warrant indebted
ness of our school and irrigation dis
tricts, which amount remains fairly
constant throughout the year, it will
readily be seen that the reduction in
interest rate makes quite a substan-
tial annual saving to the county.
The taxpayers paid during the year
$31, 321.31 as interest on delinquent
taxes while. the interest on county
deposits amounted to $353e.22. The
total receipts for the year from mis-
ce1aneous sources, including the
above interest items totailed Sl98,
$500. The receipts of the Auditors
office were $5301.70; the Clerks Of
flee $24l2.oo; the Sheriff's office
$1186.50
The county received during the
year $731.l4 from the state as re-
bate of the gasoline tax on gasoline
used on road work. The county game
fund received during the year $2431.-
40 of which $1o67.40 was for county
hunting licenses, and $50 for trappers
licenses. 500 was also received from
the sale of Hungarian cartridges a
number of which were raised by the
game warden and sold to other
counties.
The Treasurer's office handled ST.
2O2, 4e4.ol during the year 1925.
There are outstanding delinquent
taxes in the amount of $384,158 as
against $3eo,00o one. year ago. These
de1inquencies drew interest at twelve
per cent and in many cases the tax
payer mas found taxes increased by
sixty per cent when he gets ready to
pay. a.
One Of the encouraging conditions
noticed at this time is a general ten
derlcy toward tax reduction and an
almost UNIVERSAL Improvement of the
condition of the, school !. districts in
the county. There has been four
mill reduction in the state and county
levy and in some of the school dis
tricts a reduction of ten mills in the
district levy. In addition those in
charge of the raising and spending
of public monies seem to be in more
economical frame of mind which is
resulting in wiser and more economi-
cal expenditures.
School bonds in the amount Of
SIS, 500 were retired during the year
leaving a balance out landing of
(oeA mn y