The Nespelem Tribune

New Association Claims That Cities Get More Than Share

Want More Power

Say State Is Becoming Richer And Counties Poorer; Oppose 40 Mill Limit

OLYMPIA, November 25 -- County governments tired of being the "goat" and alarmed at rapid centralization of government with the state, are arming to fight for their political and financial existence.

The first shots were fired at a conference of county officials' associations in Olympia a week ago, at which a statewide county association was formed.

Lose To Cities

Counties plan a vigorous battle at the next legislature to recover the $1,492,385 cities won as their share of the gasoline tax for each of the next two years. When the highway code finally was enacted, it gave cities $1.50 per capita a year out of the tax, or about $750,000 more than they had received under the old law. The increase was taken out of counties' share of taxes.

Counties also plan to lobby against the present highway code which gives the state highway department the right to reject any county's secondary highway expenditures. Under this plan, counties can spend money only on road projects approved by the state.

Officials Want More Money

The serious financial condition of most counties, due largely to fall of tax revenues from the 40-mill law and heavy burdens of relief and unemployment, will lead the new association to work for larger grants of money from any source.

The state welfare department, on request of counties, is having to care for numerous poor and indigent cases because of counties' inability to find money. County institutions are being run by state funds in many cases.

Counties, on one hand, are forced to ask the state to relieve them of such burdens. On the other, they are fighting biennial inroads legislators made into their duties. With the state getting richer and the counties poorer, power is slipping upward on the governmental scale.

State Taking Over Duties

Duties formerly performed by county officials gradually are being taken over by the highway department, state patrol, tax commission and other state departments. Centralization of government in the state will be one of the new association's focal points of attack.

Counties, unable to raise money except by property taxes, have seen their power slipping away to the state, which can finance its new duties with the sales and business tax and other revenue sources lodged exclusively with the state.

COMMISSIONERS MAY NOT GET MUCH HELP

COUNTY officials are forming a state wide organization to combat
a tendency toward centralization of government.

County commissioners are especially anxious to regain their
former power in regard to roads. They plan a vigorous battle at the
next legislature to recover the $1,492,385 cities get as their share
of the gasoline tax for the next two years. This sum was taken out
of the counties' share of taxes.

They also plan to lobby against the present, highway code which
gives the state highway department the right to object to any county's
secondary highway expenditures, for under this plan counties can now
only spend money on road projects approved by the state.

In localities whose road needs have been ignored it is not likely
that the county commissioners will receive much support in their
battle. In fact, few will complain in these districts if even more
authority is given to the state highway department and the county
commissioners are further restricted in their expenditures.