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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 1955)
o Tuesday, Korftmber 29, 1955 MSDFORD (ORBOOK) MAIL TRIBUNE THREB State Taxation Discussed By Tax Commissioner, Other Officials Here Increased Expenses Indicate Change In Tax Base Desired A slight decrease, required by law, in the assessed valuation of public utilities may have caused a slight rise in local taxes, Sam uel B. Stewart, state tax com missioner, said here yesterday. Stewart took part in a dis cussion of state tax problems at a Chamber of Commerce round- table luncheon at the'Jackson hotel. The luncheon meeting was attended by 38 people including Stewart, State Sen. Philip Low- ry, a member of the senate tax committee; and State Rep. Al Littrell. Expenses Triple It was pointed out at the meeting that state expenses have almost tripled in the past ten years and that there is a need for a new tax basis in order to ... meet the rising cost of state gov ' ernment and to equalize tax pay merits. Public utilities, which are ap- praised by the state tax commis sion, have in the past been as sessed on a higher tax ratio than other property, Stewart said. The commission has been re quired by law to equalize the tax ratio and is complying. The un equal tax ratio, plus the fact that utilities are now subject to the state corporate excise tax, placed an unfair burden on the public utilities, Stewart said. It was brought out at the meet ing that the state general fund budget needed to meet expenses has almost tripled in the last ten years. Reasons for Rise Reasons given for the rise were state support of education and welfare, payment of interest on bonds issued to provide a vet- , erans' bonus, and large increases In the cost of maintaining state institutions, police, and the cost of developing and controlling natural resources. Lowry pointed out that more than 50 per cent of the 1955-57 budget will be used to meet the state's share of school expenses. Under the basic school support plan the state now pays $80 per school child. The total cost of ed ucation in the state varies from $238 to $700 per child. The amount paid under the basic school support plan will probably be increased further, Stewart and Senator Lowry agreed. New Basis Needed Lowry stated that there is a Jieed for a new tax basis which vill provide required revenue and at the same time not place too great a burden on any par ticular group of tax payers. It was brought out at the luncheon that income tax and property tax revenues, as well as state liquor profits become self defeating when they place too great a burden on a group of tax payers. The big question for the tax legislature is, "Who pays the taxes?" Stewart said, indicating that it is difficult to find a tax which is fair to everyone. Stewart remarked that he had noticed a great deal of interest in a sales tax for Oregon. A sales tax has the disadvantage of plac ing a burden on low income groups, he said, unless it is mod ified in some way. Combination Suggested It was suggested that a sales tax, combined with a revision of the income tax laws, such as the plan in effect in California might be used. This plan is a three per cent sales- tax com bined with a state income tax which exempts incomes of less than 55,000 per year. A three Der cent, sales tax in 6 Oregon would raise about S50,- 000,000 in a two year period, Lowry said. 21 Cases of Disease Reported Last Week Twenty-one cases of commu nicable disease were reported to the Jackson county public health department last week. One case of viral hepatitis was reported from " Prospect. Most numerous disease cases were chicken pox, with eight, six of them in Prospect and one each in Medford and Ashland. Others included two cases of measles. three of influenza, one of trench mouth, four of strep throat and two of pneumonia. Read and Use Classified Ads. ANNOUNCING Brooks Electric & Plumbing NOW LOCATED AT 1016 N. RIVERSIDE 1 Block South of The Old Location Jackson County Residents Will Pay 16.8 Per Cent More Taxes During 1955-56 Fiscal Year Jackson county residents, dur ing fiscal year 1955-56, will pay $5,413,239.45 in taxes and liens, according to the tax roll sum mary prepared by Robert G. Fowler, county assessor. The figure is some $781,741.06 more than the S4,631,498.39 paid by taxpayers during fiscal year 1954-55, ending last June 30, an increase of 16.8 per cent. In 1953-54, the total tax collection was $4,094,727.12. Of the more than $5,000,000 which will be paid this year, $3,651,234.25 is for schools in cluding the rural school levy of 50.2 mills, special school levies, and school bonds. Levies in American Cities Said Facing Bankruptcy . Unless Slums Cleaned Miami. Fla. U.R Federal housing chief : Albert M. Cole warned today that American cit ies face bankruptcy in 19b5 un less thev move quickly to wipe out slums and rundown areas. Cole said the rapid increase in population and new families ex pected after 1960 will create greater demands on municipal tax resources. T h p s e additional demands "will become insupportable if the present heavy costs of slums blight and obsolescence are al lowed to go on," he said. Cole nointed out that the pop ulation probably will , jump to more than 190,000,000 by 1965, almost all the increase being registered in urban areas. Cole said . the problem oi "urban renewal can be success fully accomplished only on an area-wide basis. Face Bankruptcy "The neoDle of any city witn- out a comprehensive plan of ac tion underway within the next five years at the latest will face miinirinal bankruptcy in 1965," he said. Cole issued his "warning I UAL Delayed in Resuming Service wahiintnn (U.P.) The Civil Aeronautics Board has extend ed temporarily an order delay ing resumption of service by United Air Lines to Monterey, Santa Barbara and Eureka, Calif., pending disposition of an appeal by Southwest Airways. Southwest asked the CAB (to reconsider its decision effective Nov. 27 permitting United to serve the three points again. United service was suspended nrioinallv hv the CAB to per mit Southwest to serve the same points as a local service airline. The Nov. 27 decision gave South west permanent authority to serve the points as well as others. However, the order also rein stated United on the grounds that Southwest's "survival" now was assured. United had planned to resume service to the three California points Dec. 8. Mercy Flights Take Two To Vets Hospital Two Jackson' county men were flown to the Veterans Ad ministration hospital in Portland by Mercy Flights, Inc., yesterday afternoon. Both were scheduled for surgery there. The patients were Warren Locke, Central Point, and Jack Wright, Ross lane. The flight was made in the Mercy Flights Cessna plane, as the two new Beechcraft planes are still grounded until registration pro cedures are completed. Lock and Wright were the 424th and 425th patients carried by planes operated by the non profit ciir ambulance corpora tion since it started service in January, 1950. school districts range from Med ford's 39.8 mills, the lowest, to Griffin Creek's 56.6 mills, the highest. Last year, school levy collec tions totaled $3,223,915.84, and in 1953-54, collections were $2,760,406.52. County Taxes Double During the three-year period, county taxes have increased from 5.7 mills to 8.7 mills this year. Ten Jackson county cities will receive $653,522.30, an increase of $22,565.02 over the $630, 957.28 received last fiscal year. In 1953-54, cities received $569,-796.24. in a speech prepared , for the American Municipal Association. He said that a substantial num ber of cities already are attack ing the problem and have achieved "conspicuous results." Under the housing act of 1954, he noted, community-wide pro grams have been approved for more than 70 cities and towns. About 90 others have programs in the planning stage. This brings the total to some 320 de velopment programs underway in more than 200 communities. The housing act provides for federal loans, mortgage insur ance and direct grants to aid cities in such programs. Adlai Stevenson, candidate for the Democratic presidential nom ination, will address the associa tion tomorrow. New York Mayor Robert Wag ner told a panel group late yes terday he could offer no solu tion to the complex problems of his metropolitan area but sug gested that New Jersey, New York and Connecticut could form a tri-state commission to study them. ,: . . . : Areas Limp Along Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley said the metropolitan problem "can no longer be ef fectively handled with the anti quated machinery of govern ment adapted to a horse and buggy era." He added that most of the 168 metropolitan areas in the nation have been granted only enough authority to allow them to "limp along." "I believe that metropolian area governments should be giv en the widest possible range of discretionary powers so they can move to solve their revenue problems," the Chicago mayor added. "The local electorate will see that local taxes do not get out of hand." - Mayor Noel E. Porter of the suburban city of Palo Alto, Calif., gave a qualified endorse ment of the metropolitan plan. "I would be hesitant to suggest the relinquishment of certain service functions which the small cities are capable of per forming and which help insure that citizens participation in government is continued," he said. Godfrey tells about the night that made him a top star! Learn how Arthur became fa mom by keeping listener awake for 24 hours in 48 states with radio's first all-night program. You'll find out why 4000 fans brought him coffee and sand wiches before dawn and the part Walter Winchell played in giv ing him a boost into the big time. This week Arthur tells you how it all happened in his own words. Here's the inside story of Godfrey's network troubles and triumphs told by Arthur himself for the first time! Don't miss "This Is My Story", in the Post. Read it today! Out today on at! newsstands Medford's levy is 18.9 mills this year. Other city levies in clude Ashland, 13-2; Butte Falls, 8.7; Central Point, 17.6; Eagle Point, 25.2; Gold Hill, 19.6; Jack sonville, 17.5; Phoenix, 24.8; Rogue River, 15; and Talent 20.6 mills. In total levy in cities, Medford residents are taxed 67.4 mills, the second lowest levy among the county's 10 cities. The 67.4 mills include city, county and school district taxes, and will raise $471,481.92, but does not include various levies for water districts, sanitary districts or other special tax levying dist ricts within the city. Cities' Total Millages Total levies, not including taxable bodies other than city, county and school districts, in other cities are Ashland, 68.7; Butte Falls, 67.6; Central Point, 66.7; Eagle Point, 84.1; . Gold Hill, 68.7; Jacksonville, 76.4; Phoenix, 83.7; Rogue River, 74.7; and Talent, 80.6. The total assessed valuation of property, including public serv ice corporation properties, in cities is $36,672,240.42, slightly less than half the total of $80, 658,894.05 of the taxable value in Jackson county. In addition to county, school and city levies, some $106,487.71 will be paid in water, sanitary, hospital and fire districts, with another $301,720.39 going to the state fire patrol, irrigation dist ricts, liens and penalties, and $638.59 to reforestation fees. Other levies include Charlotte Ann Water, 3.4; Grand View water, 9.4; Kenwood water, 9.1; Kings Highway water 13.4; Maple Park water, 6.7; Midway water, 1.6; South Bear creek san itary, 4.3; Central Point rural fire, 4.3; Medford rural fire, 4.0; and Rogue River rural fire, 4.3. 127 N. Central Ave, its Mew 1 A c Columbia Bridge Bids To Be Called Jan. 13 Salem (U.R) Bids for con struction of a new interstate bridge across the Columbia river between Portland and Vancou ver, Wash., will be called next Jan. 13, Oregon State Highway Engineer R. H. Baldock said to day. Timetables for bid calls and bond issues were agreed on at Vancouver last Friday, Baldock said, when the highway depart ments of both states conferred on the $14,000,000 project. The program also calls iov im mediate reconstruction of the present interstate bridge. Both old and new spans will be oper ated as toll bridges for an esti mated seven years after they are opened to finance a revenue bond issue. Baldock said the new bridge should be open for traffic by June 30, 1958. Reconstruction of the existing bridge would not be completed until the end of 1959. Hearing on Burlesque Theater Closing Set Portland (U.R) Friday has been set as the time for the city of Portland to show cause why it should not be enjoined from closing the Star burlesque the ter. Presiding Circuit Judge James R. Bain refused a petition of the Star's management for . a tem porary injunction and set the date for hearing instead. The city council last Friday passed an ordinance revoking the license of Aaron Corporation to operate the Star. Councilmen claimed they had evidence that an indecent performance had been presented at the Star, one of two burlesque houses in Port land. Theater operators contended that the city acted capriciously and arbitrarily. About 55 per cent of Ameri can families own their homes, a higher ratio than ever before in U.S. history. o Attend Our Special Combination Range Demonstration THURS. - FRI. - SAT. O DEC. 1-2-3 A baking demonstration using Monarch combination ranges will be held in our store on Dec. 1, 2, 3. It will continue all day until 5:30 p.m. You'll see the giant Monarch oven bake 10 one-pound loaves of bread at one time. Plan now to attend this wonderful demonstration. A Beautiful Door Prize Will Be Awarded! Use Our Easy OPEN EVERY Y Medford, Phone 3-5306 Sen. Neuberger Raps Indian Bureau for Timber Sale Policy Aberdeen flJ.R) The Bureau of Indian Affairs came in for sharp criticism yesterday from Richard L. Neuberger (D-Ore.) and Rep. Carl Chudoff during a joint Congressional subcommit tee hearing. The hearing was held on fed eral timber sales policies in con nection with the sale of Quin ault Indian Reservation timber to Rayonier Incorporated, oper ator of three pulp mills at Ho quiam, Shelton and Port An geles. Bureau Scorned Neuberger, while criticizing Rayonier's advertisements advo cating utilization of excess com mercial timber "now tied up uselessly in certain areas of the Olympic National Park," placed no blame on Rayonier for taking advantage of Indian sales but scorned the bureau for not get ting enough in the sale of Crane Creek timber in 1952. Chudoff (D-Pa.) concurred that the Indians didn't get enough for the allotment timber. The criticism was made while L. J. Forrest, land manager for Rayonier, appeared before the committee to justify the con tract on which Rayonier to date has paid $2,448,000 in advance payments and will pay about $600,000 more by the fall of 1958. Additional amounts are paid as timber is cut, Forrest said. $163,000 Forfeited . Currently, under the market adjustment formula, Rayonier is paying 30 per cent more for hemlock than it did at the time the contract was signed, Forrest said. . Rayonier forfeited $163,000 on the first sale because the com pany did not agree to the form of the Indian Bureau's .contract. Forrest said the firm on the sec ond sale paid high stumpage. The 11 v S d) fe America's Most Popular Christmas Lay-Away Plan WEDNESDAY cutting under the terms of the contract has 34 years to run. Second growth will not be mar ketable for 25 years after the virgin growth is logged. Under questioning, Forrest agreed that the Indians should be allowed to run their own property. Canada's longest river is the Mackenzie, running for about 2,514 miles. . Use Tribune Want Ads jactleys (OATS Open Wed. 'Til 9 p.m. Use Our Lav-A-Wav , . - . . Or Your Charge Account AUTIFUL mbination lange! BAKE WITH WOOD OR ELECTRICITY COOKING TOP HALF WOOD - HALF ELECTRIC AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED OVEN ALL CHROME FINISHED COOKING-TOP "RED HOT IN SECONDS" SURFACE UNITS AUTOMATIC CLOCK CONTROL HANDY INTERVAL TIMER FAST HEATING MALLEABLE TOP IANCE UNTIL 9 P.M. 137 E. Main St., Ashland, Phone 9-5831 Fire Extinguished By Copco Line Crew Firemen were sent -at 10:24 a.m. Monday to the Richard R.eum residence, route 2, box 298, Central Point, by the Cen tral Point rural fire department, to extinguish a small blaze in a furnace room. The fire, which might have become serious according to fire chief Dick Krupp, was put out by members of a California Ore gon Power company fine crew by the time firemen arrived. Origin of the fire wag not known. Ik Wednesday SPECIAL - SUITS y j- j south Centra! A dais ttASAffiM
