Imperial Valley press., 1932-03-31

Declaring that he is heartily in
favor of constructive measures that
will actually reduce taxes in both
the irrigation district and the coun-
ty, Mark Rose today called on the
people TO inquire into economics in
other branches of local government
as we'll as that of the district.
There is no question but that
drastic economy must be practiced
in all dep nents of district.
county and city administration, if
We are to survive through another
two N1rs of such times as we have
today, ose said.
However, the agitation so far
seems to be coming largely from
group of those who have opposed
the policies of the irrigation dis
trict and who are still opposing the
district administration, and who ap-
parently are using hard times as
their excuse to gain support for
their attacks on the district.
Lets look squarely at the pres
ent situation from every side.
The irrigation district has ac-
complished reductions in general
operations over the last eight years
prior to 1881, of something close to
so per cent. and in 1881 has sue
ceeded in further reducing general
operations and maintenance costs
S480 900, and is attempting this year
a program, which will result in still
further reductions of around $400,-
600, depending. of course, on river
and silt conditions as to whether
this program can be wholly or only
partially accomplished.
What has been the situation in
the county during this same period
of years? I think the records will
show that Imperial county had a
tax rate of s1.19 in 1922, and of
s253 in 1881, an increase of around
$50 per cent.
What has been the situation in
our cities? While I haven't the ex-
act figures. I know that in a gen.
eral way they have increased con-
siderably, just as the county taxes
have.
What have the trustees of the
school districts done toward reduc-
ing budgets for the coming year?
I note by the records there are
school professors drawing approx
mately the same salaries as that of
the manager and chief engineer of
the irrigation district, which irri-
gates an area half the size of the
state of Rhode Island.
There are undoubtedly ways at
the command of the various county
officials including the supervisors
and all other elective officers and
the trustees of the various school
districts in the county by which an
equal saving to that made by the
district could be accomplished for
the next year or two without Seri-
ously reducing efficiency. of service
and without in the reducing
the amount of education which the
children of the county would re-
ceive. The law fixes the maximum
salaries for deputies and maximum
number of deputies, but each de-
partment head can employ less
than the maximum at reduced sal
aries II he cares to do so.
Il might point, in the school mat
ter, for example, to one man, who
was a professor in one of the
schools and who cut off approxi-
mately $500 from his own salary
in accepting the office he now
holds, and who is still making a
living to all appearances.
There is no doubt in my mind
that tremendous savings can be
made in the matter of coaches,
school busses, enlargements and ex-
tensions of buildings and equip
ment, in salaries of those who visit
schools over the county, in fact, in
every direction.
Cites Effort Made
I'm the face of this whole tax
situation, it seems unfair to me that
the only organization being seri-
ously criticized is the one organiza-
ton which has acrieved the great
est amount of savings over the last
10 year period, and who has made
tremendous additional retrench-
ment in the last 18 months, a re-
trenchment which commenced long
before either the farm bureau or
the taxpayers league awoke to the
fact that retrenchments would be
necessary.
Il note that the county assessor
has signified his intention to re-
duce the real property values 10
per cent, which will cause the re-
writing of the whole assessment
roll of the county, but which cam
not accomplish anything so far as
real reduction of taxes in concern
ed, for, after all, the amount of