Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1949-07-15
Taxes Don't Follow Lumber

Price of lumber and price Of
wheat are one thing. County taxes
are another.
Preliminary budget adopted by
the Flathead county commission
ers show general increase OF
about 10 per cent. Apparently the
commissioners, Earl HOLSTER, Ro-
man Zeller and Charles Luke, ST.,
however, do not expect the mill
levy to go over the present 81 mills
we now pay.
The 1949 appraisal Of all prop
erty in the county will likely be
about 10 per cent over the 1948
figure of 100000. County As
SCISSOR Ed Jystad's office will have
the current value ready in week
or so.
The increased worth of Flathead
county property is the result of
the nearing completion county
wide reappraisal, first since 1923,
and development of Hungry Horse
communities from non revenue
producing second growth timber
land. Becoming county taxpayers
on large scale this year are Hun
cry Horse contractors.
Criticism of the county corn
missioners is that they are not
using the additional tax revenues
accruing to the county to help re-
duce mill levies that have ranged
to 154. Instead the increased rev.
enues are being spent on more
county government. 81
If the present economic condition
worsens, delinquent taxes will
continue upward. They now stand
at SIS per cent, nearly; twice that
Of a year ago.
Public hearing on the prelim-
mary budget is Wednesday, August
3 at 10 a. m. in the court house.
This is the opportunity of the
taxpayer to express his sentiments.
Adoption of the budget is by Aug ,
ust 8. You pay in November and ,
again in May. Beefing at the county :
treasurer's window won't help. !;
Encouraging is recent informa- :,
ton that the District 6 school :,
board believes grade school taxes :,
will be about 20 mills compared !,
to IS largely as the result of new
state legislation. :,
The proposed general fund fig n
ure is $239, 1853 compared to last n
years $214,O44; the poor fund :,
$149, $50 and $129,8O5 for the last ~
fiscal year; bridge fund, $39,845 -
and 1880; road fund, $85,370 d
up from $66,240; gopher control =
s., 300 from none; county library D
s8,815 up from $500; county air -
port, $26,32O up from 5000; =,
county fair, $500 up from $9,260,
and noxious weeds 81, 1875 from last y,
years $500. ~
Partial breakdown of the gen -,
,ra1 fund shows: county commits :.
;ioners $3.50 over $4,000; coun- -
y clerk $4,000 down from $13,- :
kOO, SOu11Iy u CdSO1 CA, pAH,oOC OP IN
rom $19,715; county assessor $685. .
$50 up from $24,51O; county sur q
,eyor, $4,000 up from $4,000; dis
riot court, ST, 1868 up from ST., 100;
heriff, $4,000 up from $3O,664;; 90
ounty attorney, $612O up from al
$40; justice courts, $4,000 up On
rom $1,000 1.-TWO Kalispell jus -.
ices now to get $1,000 salaries) ~,
Coroner, $3.50 from $640; build Oh
ag maintenance, $3O,55O up from va
1880; board of health remains
$1,000; county superintendent K,
$4,000 UP from $4,000; county r.
gent, $500 up from $3.50. Other
ems include fire control, city an
axes,. burial of soldiers, tax deeds, n,
lterest on warrants which Incl ~,
entally will increase from 5000 he
} $1,000, the land classification M
oard, industrial accident and re- +;o
rement premiums. Elections are
own from $4,000 to $4,000.