The Fight Over Local Road Taxes

Everett, July 2.—More troubles will ensue as a result of laws passed by the last session of the legislature, and this time it is the amount of poll-tax fixed for districts outside of corporate towns and cities. In road district No. 1, a man resides who works in the bank at Marysville, but he refuses to pay his poll tax in the district, having paid it in the town, where it is only one-half what it would be outside the town limits, being $1 there and $2 in the outside district. This is unsatisfactory to Road Commissioner Jeffrey Hilton, and this afternoon a summons to pay or work his road tax was served on the person in question, and if he now refuses, suit will be instituted to collect the same, although it has already been paid in the town of Marysville. The suit will be in the nature of a test case and will be carried to the higher courts if necessary, for under existing circumstances the road commissioners in the various districts are at a loss to know whether they can enforce the existing laws or not. Road Commissioner Hilton consulted with Prosecuting Attorney Cooley, who informed him that a person must pay poll tax in the district in which he lives, regardless of where he works.