The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1944-07-20

an $4,000 grant from the state
said Jay Perry of Kennewick,
Benton county commissioner. "We
have no assurance of more emer-
gency grants
The record showed that the gov
eminent has taken over 149,944
acres of Benton county land, chief
ly for the Hanford- Richland prof.
ect and a large navy bombing
range - z.@'E>.ss...
''The loss of tax revenue on this
land is not as serious as the addi-
tional expense the county must
meet in providing functions Of gov
eminent for the enlarged popula-
tion," Perry testified.
Enforcement Costs Mount
He pointed out that costs OF
four divisions of law enforcement
| had risen from $7739 in the first
six months of 1943 to $32,737 for
the corresponding period in 1914
Superior court cost alone jumped
from $906 to $13,126. ~.
| Mrs. Frances Oliver of Pasco
Franklin county assessor, testified
that Franklin county was con-
fronted with a similar problem
The county has had approximately
SIS, 900 of assessed valuations re
moved from its tax rolls.
Testimony from Ed (Deke)
Davis of Olympia, state director
of conservation and development
that state officials are fearful Of
the economic disruption which
would come with the proposed
/ Cascade monument brought {
statement from Cong. Holmes
that public lands committee mem.
bers will strive to keep western
lands open for multiple uses.
It was explained that the pro
posed monument might place {
large acreage on the Cascade
range under restrictions which
would retard numbering, mining
4 and livestock interests.
Detailed Maps Studied
,ssJV "a D. s.,r esssS.a4of the scent,
values of our state" said Con
gresham Holmes, and we agree
with the policy of conservation O
these scenic wonders, but we hop,
i to impress upon fasteners thu
necessity of keeping western area
open for orderly economic, devel
opment."
Lew .Selvidge of Olympia, see
| rotary of the state association o
county commissioners, placed il
the record detailed maps showing
the 14,669,271 Washington acre
which are under federal contro
and consequently evade local taxa
ton.
These lands include national for
ests, national parks, Indian re
serves, military and naval re
serves, power and reclamation
areas, and incidental federal hold
ings.
& Campbell Gives Testimony
4 E. G.. Campbell, deputy Yakim;
county assessor, testified tina
Yakima county was not great,
hurt by military acquisition be
cause land taken for such prof
ects as the artillery range wa
of low value and produced LITTLE
in tax revenue. "a 49,.
Campbell estimated that 1900
acres of the agricultural land OF
the Yakima Indian reservation i
tax free and explained that tn,
i county is obligated to provide
roads, law enforcement and othe
functions for persons living OF
these lands. 80.
E. L. Lindman of Olympia, sta
| tistician in the state school super
| intendent's office, testified tina
weakening of the real estate tai
foundation of school districts ha
| forced the state to come to thu
aid of many rural districts, mos
severity affected by federal &C
QUESTIONS.
Lester Stresses Problem
:. Joe Lester of Wenatchee, Chela,
county commissioner, pointed on
that the federal government own
Sc per, cent of Skamania county
and that many counties and schoo
districts are crippled by tax cur
tailment. 1.4-
Several witnesses stressed tina
increases in sales tax volume fai
to solve the problem because thi
revenue goes to specified stat,
uses and does not find its wa,
into county treasures.
Others testifying yesterday wer'
T. S. Hedges of Olympia, of thu
state tax commission, John Pow
ers, Grant county assessor, Jane
Brain, Kittitas county commission
err and c.. L. Sterling, secretary o
Kittitas valley irrigation districts
congressman Praise Record
Declaring that the record OBJ
tanned in the Yakima hearing wa
one of the best obtained in ma
tion-wide study of the public land
problem. He and Congressmel
White and Holmes said that the.
hoped to obtain congressional ap
proval of bill which will equaliz
the tax structure and safeguart
the local governments and privat
, interests MISUNDERSTANDING Her