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About Jacksonville miner. (Jacksonville, Or.) 1932-1935 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1932)
COUNTY JUDGE EXTRA EARL FEHL’S REAL TAX REDUCTION RECORD IS EARL II. FEHL REAL LY IN FAVOR OF TAX RE DUCTION? For several years he has raised a great hue and cry about high taxes. Last De cember he was especially vo ciferous in demanding a cut in the tax budget of this county. In his Pacific Record Herald, issued December 17, 1931. he gave vent to a loud warning, of which we quote ; part, as follows: “TAXES WILL BE HIGHER, NOT LOWER” “The ¡>oople of Jackson county should be aroused. "December 3)st should bring every man, woman and child to the County Courthouse in a voice of protest. "Figures do not lie. but we have heard that . . ? . . will sometimes figure, and that is just what seems to have taken place In the prepara tlon of the I tax budget for Jack son county. "Governor Meier has decreed phat there will be no STATE TAXES thus cutting Jackson coun- ty's state tax levy of approximately FIVE AND THREE-TENTHS MILINS down to ONE AND SEVEN TENTHS MILLS or effecting a net saving in state tax levies of THREE AND SIX-TENTHS MILLS. "Now friends, we want you to get this, sharpen your pencil and fol low closely. "Iamt year’s State, School and County tax levy was, when placed tn totals SEVENTEEN AND THREE-TENTHS MILLS. “Now deduct from this amount the net cut in state levies as ap- plicable to Jackson county or THREE AND SIX TENTHS MILLS and thereafter remains THIRTEEN AND 8EVENTENTH8 MILLS TAX LEVY. "Now here is the picture, this year Jackson county tax levy is now estimated at THIRTEEN AND EIGHT-TENTHS MILLS or ONE TENTH MILL IN ADVANCE OF LAST YEAR AFTER YOU MAKE THE PROPER DEDUCTION FOR STATE LEVIES. "The piont we want to make, jTlends, is this. Jackson county is evying this year ONE TENTH OF ONE MILL MORE TAXES THAN LAST YEAR. The city of Medford is levying more taxes than last year, the Medford school is levying more taxes than last year, so In all fairness to our readers we are telling you NOW that your taxes will be higher this year than laMt year and all of the saving affected by the constructive policy of Gov ernor Meier will be wiped out by careful manipulations of the var ious budget committees and the various governing bodies in their desire to ever keep local taxes going HIGHER. "Friends there is only ONE REMEDY and that is for you to be so awakened to this situation that you will go, on December the 31st before the County Court and DEMAND THAT LOCAL TAXES RE REDUCED. protest the high levy. Mr, I Fehl was there also, but some way, somehow, the faucet bail been turned and he thretipon made a speech defending the county court and the budget REMARKS BY EARL FEHL AT PUBLIC MEETING WITH BUD GET COMMITTEE HELD AT I COURT HOU8E AND LATER ADJOURNED TO ARMORY, DE- [ CEMBER 31, 1931. for or against the levying of a bud get. "Now the next statute I am going to read to you says what the duty of the budget committee Is Sec tion 69-1109 ‘I-evy to be made by levying board.’ We are not the levying board, folks. The levying board has been appointed by your county court, and your county court sits In conjunction with your levy Ing board composed of these mem bers, for making the tax levy. I want to read this statute: ” ‘When the hearing provided for In this act’ which means the hear ing we are having today, ‘shall have been held, or If at the time and place appointed for such hearing no taxpayer shall appear to discuss the proposed levy, then the levying board shall proceed to make, determine and declare the amount of taxes to be levied upon the current as sessment and tax roll and to make a separate appropriation for each office or officer, depart rnent, building, structure, insti tution, bridge,’ etc. Wortman Supports Phipps "With the coming election a to run, but are inflating their own month away, the Jackson county ego by becoming the self appointed voters are beginning to think ser- candidates of the few dissatisfied lously about the candidates whom people who are willing to petition for their candidacy outside of party they wish to place In office. support. "Having been a candidate in the recent primary election, I take this "Jackson county has two such opportunity to express my own candidates entering the field for views. the judgshlp. Had either Mr. Pipes "The purpose of the primary or Mr. Gates, and both friends of election has always been the se mine, decided to run in the pri lection of the people’s candidates maries they would only have in- upon party lines. Since I belong to creased the plurality of the pres- the defeated ranks for county ent party candidates by splitting judge, I know what it means to go the votes a trifle finer. through such a campaign. It costs the candidate time and money. It ! "In my judgment it seems the necessitates his going about the square and fair thing is to stand county to acquaint himself with back of those men who have suc the peoples’ def ires, their likes and cessfully won their candidacy dislikes. It would therefore seem through the peoples’ choice, and I that the candidates elected In the believe the Jackson county voters primaries should be the only can will stand by that choice and vote didates in the field for election. for party candidates. "I, as a Democrat, will support However, there is a law which W. E. Phipps, the man who de gives others the opportunity to enter the race as independents. feated me for county judge in the Such candidates as these are not primary election. J like Coolidge, who did not choose (Signed! J. FRANK WORTMAN." "Now ladles and gentlemen, I am no lawyer. I am simply a taxpayer “Now it doesn’t make a particle In Jackson county, and I have taken of difference whether we are here a great deal of interest in tax mat or whether we haint. That statute tors, and If you folks have read my paper you have undoubtedly says your board must make the known It. but I am also very care levy. The only matter for discus ful about my conduct in a public sion is about the amount. I take the meeting. Now you folks—many [tositlon that is what your law says came a long ways here to express, , you must do. Let’s use our heads, quency to occur In taxes until we law that has ever come up, and I your sentiments either for or folk»—let’s don't have a mob here know how much that is going to know it. (Applause.) against the adoption of the budget1 because somebody differs with you be. That is one item that the county or me — let ’ s don ’ t cry them down for 1932. "I went out and worked against off the foyer. That is not a gentle court and budget committee might these laws, but every time a law "In defense of the county court manly thing to Jo. The whole thing cut down, or out entirely. That is and the budget committee. I want Is your business, and your elected one item that you can discuss, but comes up to put over a bond issue, to say that they have spent a great ( county officials are here to admin you can’t discuss the salaries and every woman, man and child votes wages. deal of time working on the bud ister your business. for it. You have voted your own “There is another item generally expense account. You cannot crlti- "Now they have proposed a levy get and In the last analysis a bud get is simply the amount of money here, which, in the final analysis discussed throughout the county, I cise me, or the county court. I that is required to be levied to is a small amount less than a year and that Is the expenditures of the have heard criticism, and I have ago. In the final analysis it is con road department. The county court done It myself, but if you have read take care of your business. has gone right down the line in my criticism you have noted it was "Now I sat over there In the siderably less than a year ago— cutting expenditures in the county to particular acts, not to all their brought about by the action of Gov court house and listened to the var road department. However, that is acts. They are talking about the ernor Meier. ious discussions on these items a debatable question and in this county court reducing somebody’s "Now Governor Meier made a published In the budget. I want to budget for this year they have seen salaries. All right, for illustration, read you the law—and it is your gesture at cutting taxes. I voted fit to only levy >21,145 in general ! personally I don’t get >150 a month, own law, folks, and 1 borrowed it for Governor Meier, and am in fav-, roads. You could cut that out—or and I think >150 a month is a very from the judge’s bench up there. or of his gesture cutting taxes, but | suggest it to be cut out entirely, renumerative salary, but the fellow Here It says what we shall do at I can use a pencil a little bit my and you wouldn’t have any work that is getting it doesn’t think it a public hearing of this kind, and self, and I think at the end of next done. is enough. But the law says when we want to be law abiding—not a year Governor Meier is going to “ Then there is another item in you elected a sheriff, or clerk, or mob here and try to cry everybody face a larger deficit in the state of down who makes an attempt to Oregon than has ever been known the market road department, that county judge, or your county as speak. That is not American prln- in the state. It is all right to play >4000 levied for tn the market road sessors or your county treasurer, politics. I don’t believe in it at all. department. That item you might what they shall receive. You have clple. “You people have created these be able to cut out. If you cut all set their salaries, and you raised "This is Oregon Code, 1930, the these items out of the budget, you them just a couple or three years latest volume out. and it aays In I bills, every one of them—have elected your officials, and allow’ed would reduce it >50,976.58, or al ago. This don’t say the county Section 69-1108: them to carry on. Now, I say, it is most 20 per cent on the face of , court, or the budget committee— ' you raised them yourselves by vote. ‘Ijevying Hoard to meet with I>oor policy to come in like a mob your budget. the taxpayers. It shall be the and not be willing to pay them, “Now ladies and gentlemen, the Talking about the justice of the duty of the levying board to That doesn't apply to everything county court didn't ask me to come peace’ salary up there in this meet- meet at the time and place des i ing—who raised the Justice of the ignated in the notice of meeting In this budget. There is a lot of and talk for them. I asked to come required by this act, when and Items in this budget here perhaps and talk, because I saw the people peace’ salary? We did—us people— we set it at >2400, and gentlemen, where any person who shall be that the levying board, county court subject to such tax levy, when and budget committee can reduce, were talking about something for why should be re-nlg at a tax pay the same shall be made, shall be eign to the subject. You can go to ing meeting. We cannot change it heard in favor of or against said but you folks can’t reduce them. your court any day—either in per one way or the other. When the They are the ones who have to re tax levy or any part thereof.’ son or in delegations and say to sheriff has his duty to perform, he duce them under the statute, and "Now that Is the law, ladies and I have read it to you. It is all right the county court: ‘Here, gentle must perform that duty. If we all gentlemen. We are talking about to come up and say, ‘We don’t men, we want this department cut go out and violate the law. he must wages—we are talking about sal need this deputy or that deputy.’ down, or that department cut try’ and enforce that law. He must aries—we are talking about depu and the levying board, after this down,’ but friends, when you come hire these deputies and the law ties and every other thing, and it meeting, has to say whether we to a tax levying meeting you have says he must, and he says you and Is really none of our business. The have to have them or not. I have to keep your mind on what you me must pay these deputies. I am county court and your various elec- set on some of these budget meet- are doing and you are going to not arguing for the deputies, but ted officials under the statute must jngs. and I think the committee levy a tax. and this is the last day this fact, that we must get back to enforce the laws. They must em and the county court has used their and the last meeting and it is ob the fundamental principles of what ploy deputies—they must employ best judgment in making the bud ligatory on the part of your levying we are here for, and that is to de clerks to take care of your busi get. I still take the position that borad to create this on and after termine what the tax levy is going ness. Now, at the final analysis, you people probably can bring a today. The only thing this board to be, and as a matter of fairness ladies and gentlemen, the whole decrease in the budget by insist has before them is whether we are to your elected officials, they thing rests back upon your elected ing on it. I have tabulated a few going to raise >388.667.24 or a les shouldn’t be a matter of discussion officials. I take the position, as a items here that you might be able ser amount, or raise a lesser before this meeting today. I want taxpayer and a citizen here, that to get the levying board to take amount— that is the only question to thank you.” our only criticism should be heard from the budget and these items which is up here to be adopted. REPORTER’S CERTIFICATE as against the official if he isn’t are summed up in where they have There is no other question before performing his duty. I take the po attempted to levy here for delin the house. It is published, and all of Oregon, County of Jack- sition that the present officials are quencies. Now friends, I don’t sup these things have been gone into State ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ son. ss: performing their duties consistent pose all the attorneys in this gath and everything has proceeded very I. W. J. Looker, hereby certify "THREE MEN, our HONOR with the wishes of a majority of the ering here will agree with me, but carefully. The chamber of com- that on the 31st day of December, ABLE COUNTY COURT, has de people or they wouldn’t be there. I take the position that the county merce offered their services and 1931, at the direction of the county creed that regardless of all at Any matter pertaining to wages, or court cannot anticipate the delin appointed a tax committee. I wasn’t court of Jackson county, Oregon, I tempts to lower the BUDGET that employment of people, or pertain quent taxes that are going to arise a member, and I am not sorry at personally and in person attended the taxpayer’s and budget commit it must stand as approved by them, ing to the cost of the poor farm next year because we are not sure all. They endeavored to bring down tee meeting of said county and and that the approximately FORTY or the cost of feeding the prisoners the depression will last another the cost of expenses, but ladies and took down in shorthand all of the THOUSAND PEOPLE OF JACK- Is beyond the question. year, and If It does, their anticipa gentlemen, if you go down to a proceedings of said meeting; that fcON COUNTY must stand and be the foregoing transcript comprising “I have here a copy of a Medford tions are too low. The anticipations store and buy one hundred dollars pages one to six, inclusive, each hitched to this wanton procedure, worth of goods, you can’t say after page bearing my signature in long- saying nothing, but paying through paper, and it starts out in the be they have set forth in the pub a year that you only bought fifty hand, Is a full, true and complete ginning and publishes the budget. lished budget here, if you have a the nose.” We are talking about a budget and paper here, you will find the bud dollars worth and only pay fifty transcript of the shorthand notes we have come here to talk about get at the top here. It says *>24,- dollars. There are certain things of the remarks made by Mr. Earl II. Fehl at said meeting, and of the FEHL TURNS TURTLE a budget. We didn’t come here to 830.58.’ Now I take this position: in this budget you cannot reduce— whole thereof. Dated at Medford, Oregon, this Hundreds of taxpayers met talk about Ralph Jennings, or the That that creates a double tax for schools and other departments, such of the other departments for 1st day of July, 1932. upon me and you on your proper judge, or the clerk, or anyone else. the budget committee and the W. J. LOOKER. county court December 31st to. We came here as a protest, either ties. We can’t anticipate a delin- which you have adopted every fool (Signed)
