The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1949-01-13
Report Shows
Co. Officials
Under Paid

. Interesting information on the wage
2 OF county officials is given by G. q
S Monkman, Choteau, secretary of IN
5 Montana State County g. Municip
! Trea51rers Association. Mr.. MouAE
, man states that since 1907 couua
treaSurers as an example Of o@s
. county office have received Just oma
approximate llI4z raise in ieaM
. while during the period the w@@
scale at one time was indirecS
lowered, while inflated living co@a
have doubled.
The report states the next legis-
lature Tin session now will Goa
slider the request for a 5000 salary
increase for all county officers. TIse
report states the l945 salary pro
vides about an ll% increase Ovew
the 1907 scale for county Officers
This gave the following increases:
sheriff Sl02; treasurer and clerk,
1882; assessor 1852; clerk Of distris3
court effective Jan /. l949, $552;
and superintendent of schools, $3.50.
County officials now are asking
straight across increase of 5000 an
nually, which will allow approx&-
mately only 500 increase over
the 1907 and 1921 scales, the re
port states. II then asks how does
this compare with other labor vase
scales which have risen 1907 OK
more.
The 1907 scale It states. was based
on the full assessed valuation of the
counties. The trcaSurer's salary for
example was in First Class coun-
ties, $500, with an assessed valua-
ton of the county over 30 million
dollars. In a 9th class county such
of Lincoln, the salary was $4,000,
with county valuation at from to 3
million dollars. The revised 1877
codes left the salary schedules the
same as in 1907 but base the CLASH
tication on taxable valuations rath-
Pr than full valuations The change
from full valuations to taxable val
uations reduced the possibility OF
increase in salaries as based on full
by 1919 For example
the treasurer salary in first class
counties remained at s., 500 while
taxable valuation climbed 10 over
$50 million dollars; and the s2,00e
salary ~ sixth class counties hike
LiFlcolnS remained the same while
taxable valuation went 20 10 70
Millions. .et
Based on 1913 taxable valuations.
he county nearest 20 being fir<f
lass IN Montana. is Cascade with
taxable valuation of $35,500.312-
'hus all county salaries ranged
rom second TO seventh class. The
ldlvidual officers were paid the
'O7 scale previous to l945, which
II treasurer was $500 and $20Oe
IN first and sixth class
,unties
The report adds that the 1915
glslature adopted a salary based
population and valuation The
40 population census governs the
ale Future changes viii be based
docenniai census. Valuation
angc VIII as of September
Tor to the q ton year in which
e office Is l. he filled Lincoln
'unty receipts Gall sources) for
e year ending June 30. l948 were
l4,06384 For the year ending
ne 30, 1898, and increase of 29T
Based on taxable valuation. it
'uld require less than one mill
,rease in Lincoln county's general
nd levy to raise the salaries OF
ice holders as indicated: or each
600 taxable valuation would be
lrged about 81 a year increase.
renort states. and adds that Mon
Ia statutes provide that increases
i decreases IN salary cannot be-
ne effective during term OF Of
e Furthermore it states. if ever
emergency existed. it does now
l has for the past few years The
lcertcd interest of the public and
lslators IS needed to avoid whole
g designations Of county officials
oughout the state An emergency
assure or bonus should be given.
s the report until an enacted law
Id become effective
n addition 20 all other duties
treasurer OF Lincoln County
ected and RENTED to the state
lSurer between May l947 and
embcr l946 approximately So
from sale Of punchboard stamps.
hout monetary gain for the
nty Total county tax charge
938 was S3l82l25O, and in l948.
total tax charge was 1892. 35845,
Oh IS an Increase of Sc