The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1932-02-11
Taxpayers Association Insists
on Privilege of Making De-
cisions for Co. Com.

st. Cloud Times-Journal, Feb. ~
establishment of a super-gov-
eminent, with finaf decision in the
hands of the Stearns County Tax
payers association on all questions
is the aim of the association, as
revealed Wednesday afternoon by
Charles Miller, of Sank Centre, and
Henry Free, of Melrose. Officers Of
the association met with the board
of county commissioners. Accord
ing to the suggestion, the county
board is to make no decision, but
refer all questions such as road pc
titions and budget decisions to the
association and act according to the
decision of the association.
Further budget reductions, elimi-
nation of Stearns county's two high
way patrolmen, more economy in
road construction and elimination
of waste in the court house were
demanded.
Reduction of the budget items out
of which salaries are paid was
urged as a means of reducing sal
aries. and the association officers
proposed that county officials, find
ing it contrary to law to accept a
voluntary reduction in salary, do
nate such an amount of their SAL
airy to the county's poor fund.
James J. Quigley, county s...orrev
had been invited to the meeting
and explained the rulings already
made regarding the voluntary SAL
airy reductions by county officials.
Such action would be in direct con-
flict with the corrupt practice act,
Mr.. Quigley said, and he gave his
opinion that the proposal of max
ing a donation, equal to such sal
airy reduction, would be construed
as a similar violation of the intent
of the law. tits only subterfuge."
Mr.. Quigley said. -.
Other points of issue were set
forth by Mr.. Miller. Members Of
the association, he said, want more
information on road and bridge
maintenance and construction
work. He referred to the hiring Of
teams from outside Stearns county.
Somebody in the county told MIN,
Miller said, he would gladly have
been hired but that a dozen teams
had been hired from outside the
county and there was no chance
for him to get job.
Commissioner John Nett said in
haying and harvest items, particu-
larry, the road crews would al
ways be short of teams if they hir-
ed only farm teams from Stearns
county. william Sieben. foreman
of the largest road crew =. the
county, Mr.. Nett said, needed these
teams from outside the county at
the time he hired them, and pro-
cured them cheaper than teams
from within the county, because
the horses were rented and the
foreman provided the drivers out
of his crew.
Henry Free, Melrose, entered the
discussion. He proposed that the
county officers make a donation OF
part q their salary to another coun-
ty fluid. "It is, not our intention
to force, the officers to violate the
law" The said. I'VE want them to
do things right, and we want to
help them. We all must do our part
to maintain the economic question
Of today. We know the officers OF
the court house realize the condi-
tons. I, It is easy to stir up the peo-
pie, but it is hard to satisfy them
A lot of small expenses in the
court house can be cut down, Mr.
Free intimated. He denied the as
ISOLATION had radical intentions.
"We might say some things that
sounds radical" he declared. Coun-
ty Auditor Nicholas Thomey called
his attention to a statement he
made at a previous meeting Of the
taxpayers, when the salary reduc-
ton was first set forth.
At that time Mr.. Free made the
statement that refusal Of the offic-
ers to take a voluntary reduction
would, be met by protest at the
election. Mr.. Free said the law
was not mentioned at that meeting
and he reiterated the statement yes
terday, "the things is to be demon
strated at the ballot box" Mr.. Free
still insisted that, if the law per-
mits,t the officers should take q
cut.
I'VE might even be forced to have
a. hearing before judge on this
he declared and referred to the
statements of three members Of the
board Of commissioners, who agreed
to voluntarily reduce their salaries,
If the law permits. tits ~ matter
of principle" Free said, and inti-
mated If county officials did not
consider it in that light, they
might be forced to-"
Chairman Weber OF the county
board said they were called on to
make many donations during the
year and he challenged Free with
the statement that he, Weber, had
given much more in donations dur
ing the year than Free.
"The big trouble. of course" Free
said, els at home, in our villages
towns and schools. We want to set
an example here in the court
house. The entire county is going
to meet as a taxpayers unit. but
this salary question wants to be
settled right here, today, and for
ever"
Mr.. Miller said he should like to
see the county officials work with
the association. you haven't real
ly worked with us like other coun-
ties have" he said. you're getting
good salaries. Many people work
ing here are getting good salaries
and could take a voluntary reduc-
ton" Miller then referred to the
two deputy sheriffs who are the