The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1949-06-09
Stute Grunqe

s. Continued from Page ID !
program" During !, the floods a
year ago, he said, Columbia River
waters were so laden with silt
that "an estimated equivalent of
topsoil from forty 80-acre farms
floated {. past Portland in "a
hours. D..
The battle, against erosion
must start back on the hillops
and in the forest he emphasized,
with conservation of forests, graz
ing lands and farms "interdepen-
dent" Unless a voluntary pro-
gram is worked out, he warned,
sooner or later we are going
20 have some compulsory soil
conservation program forced upon
u.s." He reiterated the Grange
stand that the Soil Conservation
Service should be maintained as
an independent technical service
agency within the Department of
Agriculture. Z
Heralding the Legislatures pas
sage of lib SCI as the "outstand-
ing gain in the public power fie-
Id in the last year, Christensen
declared its "joint action pro-
visions would enable the PUBS
to ''do the job for which they
were organized by vote OF the
people," He emphasized that the
state power commission set up
under the bill should supplement
rather than usurp any rights
or powers of protection" to the
public bodies against any increa-
ses in Bonneville's basic SIT so
rate.
Reviewing some of the princi-
pal issues at the 1949 session of
the State Legislature, Christensen
declared the increase financial de-
mands made for old age pensions,
schools, roads and other govern
ment services had brought home
the fact that whatever increased
services we get from our state
government :. must be paid for
through some form Of increased
taxes. If we want the increased
services, then we must also de-
eide how the additional funds
are to be raised
Although it is human nature
to want all we can get for as
little as possible" people cannot
get something for nothing by
shifting certain burdens on to the
Government, he warned.
The sales tax and other exist
ing taxes 'shave just about reach
ed the saturation point" Carsten-
sen asserted, noting also that
both the sales tax and the pro-
posed flat income tax disregarded
the principle Of ability to pay
and benefits received. "We must
strive harder than ever to pass
a constitutional amendment enab-
ling enactment of a graduated
net income tax" he declared.
| He urged that Grange members
give favorable consideration to
the bond issues for the school
| and college building program,
rather than have these costs be-
come permanent part of the
state budget. State funds should
be used for school building pur-
poses only in districts where the
total property valuation is SO
property valuation is so low that
it would result in confiscatory
tax rate for the district to con-
struct the needed school facilities
he declared. He warned against
any general lowering of school
standards, and reiterated the
Grange stand against compulsory
school district consolidation or
reorganization.
Pointing to the confusion being
caused by daylight saving time
again this summer, Christensen
recommended that the issue be
put to a statewide vote. He noted
that several state legislators
from rural districts voted again
st the Oranges anti-daylight saw
/ ing bill, which failed by one
vote to obtain constitutional
majority in the House last winer