The Nespelem tribune. [volume] (Nespelem, Wash.) 1934-1936, 1935-10-23
Money Problems
Faced By Counties
Tax Limit Laws And Old Debts
Create Serious Financial
Problems

OLYMPIA, October II - With
operations hanpered by tax reduc-
ton laws and more than $31, 900 900
in outstanding debts, numerous
county governments in washington
today are in serious financial con-
dition.
Governor Clarence D. Martin or
lWefare Director Charles F. Ernst
receive almost daily appeals for
aid from county officials to take
over mothers or blind pensions,
poor farms, INDECENT relief or coun-
ty institutions for aged and sick.
To make more serious the con-
dition brought on by the 40 mill
tax reduction laws, property tax
delinquencies today totalled $45,-
178,254, according to records of
State Auditor Cliff Yelle.
The whole crisis is unique since
counties are fighting state encroach-
ment on county functions on one
hand and at the same time begging
the state to take some of them over.
Wanted "Home Rule
The 1885 legislature saw a bitter
fight 10y counties for home rule"
opposing the Capitalization trend
which included lodging all highway
construction in the state highway
department, enlargement of state
patrol to replace sheriffs' offices to
some extent, abolition of county
engineers under the highway code
and transferring county assessors
duties to the state tax commission.
County officials, alarmed at the
trend toward building up govern
ment at Olympia at the expense of
county governments have been try
ing actively to stem the transfer of
power and money.
CoWlitz, Lewis, Chelan, Yakima,
Thurston, Clark, Skamania, Grays
Harbor, Pierce and Stevens coun-
ties are few whose officials have
appealed to the state for financial
aid the past few weeks. The bur-
dening debt structure and tax de-
linquencies were felt heavily when
commissioners drafted their 1886
budgets last week.
When the state investigated the
pleas and found the need urg-
ent for the welfare of the people
it stepped in with relief money to
aid the counties. The state already
has taken over all old age pen
sions and practically all relief
cases.
Debts Pile Up
The gradual trend of county fl
nances deeper in the mire of debt
has increased the urgency with
which counties sought to unload
care of their poor and unfortun-
ates on the state.
The supreme courts decision Fri
day ruling that counties must in
clude a school levy equal to 5 cents
per pupil day in their budgets re-
the chance to divert school money
into other departments.
moved from county commissioners
A survey of county debts, made
by State Auditor Yelle, revealed
the staggering bond and warrant
debt of SOL ,532 1888, with $6,788,544
outstanding in warrants, $10,549, 166
in bonds, $6,818,000 in county road
bonds, $7l2,l36 IN DOnahue ROAD
bonds and $6.664.436 in miscellane-
Gus bonds, such as airports, hos
pitfalls, bridges, elections and army
posts.
The survey, as of January this
year, showed the following total
county bond and warrant debts:
Asotin, $80,719; Benton, $67 ,999;
Chelan, $751;, 1875; Clalla1n, $434,594;
Clark, $44,611; Columbia, $685.;
Cowlitz, $488, 2O3; Douglas, $95,022;
Ferry, $185,O56; Franklin, $17,114;
Garfield, $10903; Grant, $4,000;
Grays Harbor, $1,154,707.
Okanogan, $104,675; Pacific, $218,-
1879; Pend Oreille, $24,377; Pierce,
1882 BAL; San Juan, $4,739; Skagit,