The Books Don't Lie: A County's Debt Fight Comes Down to the Fine Print

In lauding the work of the board of county commissioners for the last two years, and in presenting his argument why the electors should ratify their work by re-electing W. I. Fountain Nov. 3, the editor of the Colville Examiner makes of himself the laughing stock of all who are conversant with the work of the board of county commissioners for the last two years.

In arriving at the net indebtedness of the county for the years 1905-6-7-8, the auditor totals all assets the county may have at the end of each year and subtracting from this the total indebtedness, the result will be the net indebtedness of the county. In this manner we see from the auditor's exhibit of the county, from July 1, 1906, to July 1, 1908, the net indebtedness has been reduced from $183,252.49 to $168,475.65, or $14,776.84. While there is a decrease of the county debt during the last two years of $14,776.84, we must not forget that during the last two years the taxpayers of the county have paid the highest taxes in the history of the county. The total amount of receipts and unpaid taxes for the years from July, 1904, to July 1, 1906, was $550,301.94, while the total amount of receipts and unpaid taxes for the years from July 1, 1906, to July 1, 1908, was $663,172.96, or an increase for the 1907 and 1908 over the years 1905 and 1906 of $112,872.02. From this we will see that the present Democratic board of county commissioners, for the last two years, had $112,871.02 more money with which to pay the debts of the county than had the board of county commissioners for the years 1904 and 1906, and with this increased amount of $112,871.02 have succeeded only in reducing the net indebtedness of the county $14,776.84.

The Colville Examiner, Oct. 10, says: "The auditor's annual report for 1908 is out and copies may be seen at the auditor's office. A perusal of the report will be highly gratifying to the voters who placed the present board of county commissioners in office, for notwithstanding all the improvements to building and office equipment for the county, the net indebtedness of the county has been steadily decreased by the present board."

From this can be seen the manner in which the writer of the above article is attempting to mislead and deceive the public. When he says: "Notwithstanding all improvements to building and office equipment for the county," he would leave the people to believe that this is not taken in the auditor's exhibit as an asset to the county, while as a matter of fact, the auditor, in making his exhibit, has allowed for increased building improvements of 1908 over 1907 of $17,000, which is a very high price.

There is another thing that the taxpayers of Stevens county should consider well before they vote for the return for the next two years of W. I. Fountain as commissioner of this district:

The total warrants outstanding and unpaid July 1, 1906 ... $155,702.66 The total warrants outstanding and unpaid July 1, 1907 ... $174,776.74 The total warrants outstanding and unpaid July 1, 1908 ... $200,122.74

From this you will see that notwithstanding the present Democratic board of commissioners have succeeded only in reducing the net indebtedness of the county $14,776.84, with increased receipts and unpaid taxes of $112,871.02, they have also increased the outstanding indebtedness $44,420.08. — Contributed.