The Ely Miner

TAXPAYERS' LEAGUE
HITS COMMISSIONERS

The Taxpayers' League in its last report made some very serious statements in regard to the money being used by County Commissioners and draws attention to the increased tax rate which is bound to follow according to the League but which is denied by the Commissioners and their figures bear out the claims.

After citing what might happen in the line of a raise in the state, school and county levy the League in its bulletin says:

"The really serious problem is to be found in the county. There the expenditures in the road and bridge fund have been so enormous that a huge deficit is sure to be created before the end of the present year unless a great change takes place in the matter of spending money, a levy of at least two mills ($700,000) will be required to pay off this deficit.

At the beginning of the year the commissioners had about a million and a half dollars to expend on the various roads, and an additional half million to spend on certain specified projects. By June 7th, 56 per cent of the $1,500,000 had been spent with the heavy maintenance months—June, July, August and September—still to come. Based on the present scale of spending and the experience of former years, it seems certain that the $1,500,000 will be gone by the end of August."

The report then goes on to show the expenditures for the several districts for the first six months of the years 1927, 1926 and 1925, showing 1927 to be the heaviest of the three years mentioned. Then follows a table comparing the expenditures in the several districts and a statement that "while this condition should be charged to all of the commissioners, because the board of county commissioners in a body is responsible certain commissioners are more directly at fault for the situation than others." The expenditures with percentages are given showing that this year already 58.5 per cent of the funds have been expended while the per cent for the same time in 1926 was 36.2 and in 1925 38.5. On this showing is based the supposition that next year's tax rate will be higher and that the board will wind up with a deficiency, which is most strenuously denied by the county commissioners. The table for 1927 is as follows:

First District___$ 24,048.16 48.5%
Second District.. 107,797.85 59.0%
Third District_- 30,490.50 47.2%
Fourth District_ 81,291.70 43.9%
Fifth District--. 159,033.73 49.9%
Sixth District_-- 210,260.73 71.0%
Seventh District 231,672.97 66.7%
Total_--_$844,191.64 58.5%

"Unusual weather conditions will undoubtedly be offered as justification for this abnormal spending. Possibly the weather has had some affect on the expenditures, but in one district at least (the Sixth) where the League has been making an intensive study of road expenditures there has been a most serious waste of public funds. (The nature of this waste will be explained by further activities of the League).

"In addition to the probable two mill levy for funding the deficit, it is reasonable to suppose that the commissioners will increase the levy for next year's purposes so that the amount received will more closely approximate the actual expenditures of the current year. To do this would require another two mills, making a total county increase of four mills. However, with an election on next year for four of the seven members of the county board, it is not likely that a full four mill increase will be made. A three mill increase is more probable, though even that is not likely to prove palatable to the voters.

"Unless the taxpayers of St. Louis County arouse themselves to a more active participation in county government, next year's tax rate is certain to provide unprecedented trouble. St. Louis County spends as much per mile of road for general maintenance as the state does on its trunk highway system. In the county the road mileage includes about 33 per cent of ditch bank and other minor roadways that receive scarcely any travel whatever, whereas, the state highway system includes only the heaviest traveled roads. Surely there is waste somewhere."

By looking at the above table it will be noticed that the Fourth Commissioner District has the lowest percentage on the list. Even that statement is misleading and bare figures show high expenditures but fails to take into consideration other circumstances which cause the figures to loom big. If all was taken into account the figures in the Fourth District should read about 21 per cent and not 43.9 as given.

We have before us a statement attested by the county auditor showing the allotment for the Fourth District for this year and for 1926. The figures show that the year 1926 was started with a balance of $49,025.00 while Commissioner Pete went into office with a balance on hand of $11,284.22. The allotment last year for the District was $192,000.00, while this year it was only $181,450.00. Other appropriations last year brought the total to $345,461.70, while this year the entire fund at the command of the commissioner will be $208,627.97.

The figures also show that unpaid accounts at the beginning of 1927 showed a total of over $16,000 which left the district in the hole at the beginning of Mr. Pete's incumbency. Loans to the Duluth districts for the Miller Trunk entrance, Central Duluth entrance and uncollected taxes to the amount of $2,820.00 or a total of $22,820.68 depleted the fund still more. Up to June 7 there had been spent $81,291.70 in this district, including the above, leaving a balance of $104,515.59 in the Fourth District fund.

With the deficit at the beginning of the year, the loans and other expenses as above stated removed the percentage of the district would be materially decreased. We will print the table as given by the county auditor in another issue. This will be done to offset the propaganda being industriously circulated in some quarters regarding operations in the Fourth District and inspired by sectional jealousy.