Nogales international., 1930-07-29
Republican Extravaganza

The tentative official budget for Santa Cruz
county for the fiscal year beginning July has just
been completed by VIM. G. Smonton clerk of the
board of supervisors, and it shows substantial in
crease in the estimated operating expenses Of var
ious departments of the county compared with
last year. In compliance with the law the board will
meet August II at the quarters of the board in the
Santa Cruz county court house for the purpose Of
hearing any taxpayer who may be opposed to any of
the proposed tax evies set out in the proposed bud
get.
Without giving any explanation as to the reason
the board of supervisors, composed of three Repub
cans who have unrestrained management Of the
tys affairs, show in their report that it cost $685.
81 to this county the past twelve months period
ending June 30 or 5,31798 more than the estimate
and they are now rounding out the final six months
Of their two-year term
Going further, the board estimates it will cost
S44lO29.28 to operate the county this fiscal year.
which SIS 1885, rs than it cost last year. or more
than S2l0OO0O in Of the estimated budget for
the fiscal year ending June &c. 1929 In 18 months they
have Increased the county expenses more than S21
10000, and it is not guaranteed and cannot be guar
anteed of course that the current years expenditures
will stay within the estimate Looking at it from the
past records, in all probability the expenses will ex-
ceed the estimate this year again.
And regardless Of this lavish outlay of the tax
payers money! which cannot be classed as ANYTHING
short OF extravaganza in the absence Of an explana
ton to justify it, the county today is in better condi
ton, financially, than it has been in some time This
IS due to the diligence of the Democratic county
treasurer, A. Dumbauld whose duty it is to collect
the taxes pay the counys bills as they accrue and
see to it that outstanding warrants are taken up as
quickly possible in order to avoid interest pay
ments, which would add to the county's expenses
The board of supervisors estimated that the coun
ty would collect, In interest delinquent taxes the
last fiscal year, ending June 3O 1880 S. 96560 when
in reality, County Treasurer Dumbauld collected in
interest overdue taxes $29 95 or almost five
times as much as the board estimated he would col
lect AS the delinquent list has been reduced to
minimum, the county treasurer estimates he will not
collect more than $4,000 in interest on back taxes
this year, the board of supervisors will not have
such broad margin to work on
The board estimates it will cost $1O1 858, ,39 to op-
crate the departments paid out of the general fund
tins year whereas the last fiscal year cost only $685.
1902
County Treasurer Dumbauld, in explaining his
successful efforts in collecting back taxes and inter
est gave entire credit to House Bill No. 127 which
divorced the task Of collecting back taxes from the
county attorneys office and made it obligatory on the
county treasurers office to collect all taxes current
and delinquent In addition to collecting such vast
amount OF back taxes the treasurer sold at public auc
uon the properties of "A delinquent taxpayers and
turned over to the state the property of 81 denQuents
the past year.
Regardless of how efficient collector we might
have ia the person Of the Democratic county treasur
er, or how dilgent he may watch the county expens
eS ne mas no authority to regulate the general expens
es OF operating the county government That is en-
trely IN the hands of the board of supervisors the Of
ficial administrative body of this county.
Is it not time that we elect to office three con-
scfVatve yet progressive democratic county super
VlsofS who Will keep their fingers on the purse strings
of the county, spending the peoples money when and
where i will do the most good and who will work in
perfect harmony with the county treasurer, who is
the custodian Of the countys funds?
ihe voters of Santa Cruz county have something
to think about besides personalities when thew 90 to
the polls this fall
-O-O-O-
Most of us envy the fellow who is morally and
financially Independent enough to stay away from
people and places that bore him stiff