The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-05-19
WARNING AGAINST
HYSTERIA SOUNDED
Acker Tells Auditors Not to Be-
come Desperate in Hand
ling Public Affairs
A warning against a manifestation


A warning against manifestation
Of hysteria or desperation" in ad-
justing governmental needs to pres
emit conditions was sounded by lver
A. Acker state tax commissioner, In
an address before the state conven-
ton Of North Dakota county audi
tors here Wednesday.
Appointment of committees. ad-
dresses by Acker and S. A. Olsness,
state commissioner Of insurance, Oc-
cupied the auditors at the afternoon
session. The convention opene q
Wednesday and will continue through
Friday.
In period Of declining earnings,
with no outlook for immediate i'm
provement, Acker said. retrenchment
of public expenditures is the only an
swer to the imperative demand for
tax reduction.
If we are spending more for high
ways. schools and other government
activities than we can afford he
continued. I'VE will simply have to
curtail such activities until times
have changed and economic condi-
tons improve and become stabilized
on a more prosperous basis
I'VE cannot. however, intelligently
adjust our governmental needs to
the conditions that confront us by
a manifestation of hysteria or des-
peration. Taxpayers, in cooperation
with taxing officials, must, in their
tax-reducing process. use the prun-
ing knife-not the AK
Progress Since 1928
Much progress in the direction OF
sound public finance has been made
in North Dakota since 1923, Acker
said
North Dakota public securities
have found ready market at favor
able rates, and public obligations have
been promptly and adequately met
The 1923 cash basis law has in most
cases enabled counties and munich
palities to remain on paying basis
The North Dakota bond law. espe.
cially since the addition of the Sc.
rial feature provided in 1881. is q
model statute. In spite Of adverse
economic conditions the credit OF oul
state and it's municipal subdivision:
has not been impaired. We have rea-
son to be proud of such record. Il
Is a record that we should strive Il
maintain"
Taxpayers associations, Acker add
ed, are in position to give the peo'
pie Of the state "a splendid service
by functioning as fact-finding com
mittees. analyzing proposed budget
and submitting recommendations Il
tax-levying boards in accordance will
their findings, and especially b.
staunchly supporting officials agains
the insistent demands of militant in
dividuals or groups seeking appro
priations for particular projects o
particular activities
Taxpayers, he said, must be edu
Gated to understand that some o
the largest governmental expenditure
are caused by activities which al
comparatively new and which wer
unthought of 20 or 30 years ago.
Refutes Popular Belief
The burden of the general propert
tax in North Dakota, Acker said, ha
not increased since 1922, and the gen
eral property tax burden for stat
purposes has materially decreased.
In 1918, he said, the total of al
property taxes levied, state and 10
ca. was $2O,314,443. In 1919 this tota
had increased to s28322 608. an in
crease of approximately 100000 il
one year. The state general propert
tax levy increased 112 per cent, from
$1,766,046, to $3,742,616, in one veal
From 1921 to 1924. inclusive, the stat
levy was over $4,0OO000 the hig.
point being attained in 1922 with
levy of $4,765,2 84.
1.-The increase in state taxes afte
1918 was due, in part. to program
of new activities embarked upon b
the state. to increased costs of sup
plies, labor and materials, to som
extent to salary increases, and espe
cially due to statutory levy for sol
diers' bonus and a state memoria
building Acker told the auditors.
Lowering the taxable valuation Q
property will not, except as limita
ton on the amount which may
levied, have the effect of reducin
property taxes" he said.
Reducing assessed valuation OF a.
property certain percentage will no
affect property owners tax burdel
unless expenditures are reduced i
the same proportion 1t is apparen
however, that part of the tax bur
den is shifted whenever the assesSe
valuation of a certain class of prop
erty is raised or lowered
"Of course, reducing the taxabl
valuation of property has the effee
of limiting the amount of money tina
may be levied for various govern
mental purposes provided the mi
levies permitted by law remain ur