Imperial Valley press., 1932-06-22
DOWD DENOUNCES TAX STRIKE
AND ATTACK ON DIRECTORS

The following communication has
been received by The Press from
M. j. Dowd, chief engineer and
general superintendent of the I'M
perial Irrigation district:
Under date of June /, 1882, q
taxpayers committee of Is gave
wide distribution to a letter calling
another mass meeting on June %,
in further advocacy of a tax strike
against the Imperial Irrigation dis
trict. In this letter the statement
was made that taxes could be cut
so per cent and implied that this
could be brought about by causing
the present board of directors to
resign and the appointment of
myself as general manager
The use Of my name by the COM
mittee of 10 was without my knowl-
edge or consent and 1 wish to go
! On record as being opposed in every
respect to the proposed tax strike
and the attack on the district board
of directors. Furthermore, 1 have
already been instructed by the
board ito deliver water to the
farmer at the lowest possible cost
and eliminate every unnecessary
expense" and to this end every
employee of the district is giving
his conscientious support and
effort.
Many do not realize that the ir-
rigation district functions under 4
state law which fixes the duties and
responsibilities of the board which
is elected by the people. The
assessor collector and the treasurer
CT the district are also elected by
the people and the law is very
specific in fixing their duties. The
secretary, while appointed by the
board, also has specific duties fixed
by law, which, together with the
duties Of assessor collector and
treasurer, are not subject to con-
troll by the board.
Outlines Duties
Since the board of directors is
elected by the people and is re-
Sponsible directly to the people, it
should and does represent the
wishes of the people in the fixing
Of policies, regarding district OPP
erations and the organization must.
of course, Loyalty carry out these
policies or else the district cannot
efficiently operate. AS before
stated, the board has fixed as
policy the reduction of expenses
to the lowest possible minimum and
there is the closest possible CO.
operation between the board and
myself, as well as between all Of.
1icers and department heads Of
the district. The board has the
confidence of the organization and
l feel sure that the organization
has the confidence of the board.
The Imperial district is not only
large in size, but it also has prob
lens Of size and magnitude not
faced by any other irrigated sec
ton in this country. To the mar
farming his land and seeing the
water come through his head gates,
l realize that it is difficult for him
to visualize the effort and cost re-
quired to bring that water from
the Colorado river to that point.
No undertaking the size of this one
can be operated without funds and
I realize that to the layman 1t
would appear the sums expended
by the district are excessive, but
with a costly diversion problem,
with maintenance of an extensive
levee system to control the Colo
RADIO river, with the obligations i'm
posed by reason of the fact that
the water must be carried through
1877 miles of canals in a foreign
country before reaching Imperial
Valley and with no control over the
revenue derived from delivery TO