Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1932-05-12

I 7 tAAtlE NV W. 4hAa3 1AS~ e
| member. The Herald may or may
not agree with views expressed in
this column.
To build an economy and recon
structiou program for Sheridan Co
that will be effective and promote
substantial results we must serious
ly consider the very pressing de-
mands of our present distressing
situation as well as the deplorable
condition in which our finances are
in. This is an emergency, q real e
ious emergency in our county gov
eminent. Our situation is such that
it will take drastic If not some very
revolutionary measures to brin z
about effective and fundamental
remedies, remedies that really must
amount to something. The urgency
of the situation eompels this action.
The situation is too serious for self
ish or political erploitation-there
must be no trifling. It must be res
olutely and fearlessly dealt with
Our most pressing need is for tax
reduction. A very substantial adjust
ment must be made 1t IS all very
well to promote economy and effic-
iency, they have their place and a
very important n too, but there
must be some adjustment ON a more
equitable basis than the present un-
satisfactory and out-of-date system
of property taxation. The old system
has failed us, we must change with
the times.
At the gathering here several
weeks ago when the Taxpayers Ec-
onomy League was promoted and a
platform adopted a very good start
was made towards solving our prob
lens, but it was only a start, it did
not go far enough. To be really eff
fectipe it must go a great deal far
Their.
We realize that our budgets must
be balanced, as we'll as those of our
national government of which We
hear so much nowadays. 1t must be
OUR slogan also, balance the bud
get To do that we must take
some unusual steps, perhaps some
what radical. They must be emer.
gency measures and really carry out
a sound substantial re-trencfment
policy. This is everybody's business
in this county corporation OF ours
it's our job.
While there are many proposals
being made and many worthy ones
yet there appears to be at least four
major proposals, four that are Of
the greatest importance. These are
|. The County Manager Plan
2 Lower Assessment Of real es-
tate.
g. A replacement trx, aneh as OF
income, hydroeIectric, natural gas
luxury, amusement
f. A moratorium or refinancing o.
our Indebtedness.
The County Manager plan has al
ready been endorsed and in it i
seen a move towards economy ant
efficiency in our county administra
tive offices. When 45O cities OF TIL
country have adopted this plan an.
found it satisfactory it ought to b
a good thing for our county govern
ments also.
In the line of tax reduction w
must adopt a policy of more equit
able assessments and a better dis
tribution of the tax load. Assess
J ment valuations of our farm an
town real estate must be consider
ably reduced, the present standar
is too high and arbitrary. 1t repre-
: sents a true cash value. The result
ing burden is unjustly placed o
very low o non-productive proper
ty. 1t is a false measure of our ak
, ility to pay as witness the thous
ands of acres of land taken for tar
es. While a change may not Law
Q fully be made this year it can b
& done next
Tn order to effect these reduction
in assessment valuation on farm an
town real estate and to relieve it
the excessive load, and to equaliz
! the tax burden which we should q
n assume, a replacement tax must |
s levied. 1t must be specifically lev4
! and administered as a replacemel
tax and for no other purpose
: would consist of income tax, hydr
electric tax, natural gas tax, luxul
! and amusement tax etc. These woul
be used to replace the taxes her,
tofore levied for all school purpos.
and the state government, ait lea
8 to a major extent.
One of the heaviest and non-pr
ductive taxes In our county Is Il
the payment of our huge indebte,
> ness. We owe approximately $500
: 600 net. Last year we were requi
= ed by law to try to raise $1O4,O(
but only $685. 900 of this Was levie
This year we are again faced with
like sum and together with the ba
ance from last year makes . 4
quireanast of $145y0O To make lie
les for this huge sum based on Ii
e years valuation would require
mills, more than double that Of la
year. In addition to this we ha'
the levy for interest on this indet
. edness of ON 10000, a z m
levy, and also the 2 mill levy 4
= warrant redemption and 2 mills 4
q the Closed Bank account. To ma
. all these 1evies will add an ext
m burden IN to orr taxn1avrr On b