, 1873-09-10
THE DOUBLE ASSESSMENT,


THE DOUBLE ASSESSMENT,
Tho State Of Illinois has to raiso by taxation,
for all purposes, almost so,50o,o00 in tho years
| 1878 and 1874. How this sum is exactly divided
botween tue two ycars no do not know, and 1t is
unimportant. Tho law provides that the ALI
ditor, having the asaeBsed value Of tho taxable
property Of the Stato before him, shall ASCERTAIN
| tho ratio por cont Of tax naedod to produce tho
required revenue, and shall declare tho Ba1no "a
the rate Of tux to bo collected for tho yoar, For
| purpoBeH Of revenue, 1t Is i1nmaterial whether
the valuation Of taxablos DO $500, ,000, 600 or
| $4,000, 100000; the actual amount Of tax to
10 raised will bo tho came. It can mako
no difference to man whether ho bo taxed
mills on $500 or Is mills on 800 :
his tux is tho samo in both Cases, After
IN experience Of thirty years undor tho first
Constitution, of twenty-two yeara under the Sec
ond Constitution, and three years under tho
present Constitution, it was suddenly discovered
that the proper mode Of lovying tax Was to
assesa property ut ita full cash value. Instruc-
tions were therefore sent out from Springfield
to asseas the property OF the State at Its cash
value, and thoro is return In Springfield, in an-
ss7er to these Instructions showing q gross val
uation of s1,186, ,12o,o ,os4 In 1875 against $685.
s76, ,s48 in 1872. No one protends that this ia a
cash valuation Of the property in the State Ha-
bio to taxation. It does not roach moro tlan 80
per cent Of tho actual value. What difference
Is thoro between lovying tax Of half Of
one cent on s1,000,000,o00 OF property
and / per cont Oh s5o0.00o. .oo07 Whit
traordinary chango7 Ia 1t regard for tho public
interoHt7 Was thore any auspicion OF any
serious inequality under last years asaeasment7 ?
What revelations, therefore, demanded this sud-
don change, which in its complications throat
ans tho loss Of the whole revenue Of tho stnto,
aud has paralyzed, to Bome extent tho Board Of
Equalization7 Lot us SEQ.
In 1869, the State Legislature passed IN act
which fixed the valuation Of taxable property In
1868 aa standard, and provided that any coun-
ty, city, or town that had voted bonds In aid OF
railroads should, until the principal and interest
OF those bonds wore paid, bo exempt from taxa-
tion on any increase in the assessed value of itB
property ovor tho assessment Of 1868. In other
words. that Ill ta1cs levied for State purposea
on any Increased valuation over that Of 1863
instead Of going into the State Treasury, should
| be applied to tho payment of those railroad.aid
bonds. Last year, tho whole Of tho revenue
thus stolen was short Of 100000, and the co,n-
ties and towns owing this railroad debt had to
ta1 themselves directly to pay tho interest and
portion of tho principal of tho 913, 3,000, 900 Of
their outstanding railroad debt. The local tar
on Springfield aud Sangamon County alone for
this purpose amounted to about $4,000. Tho
holders Of these railroad bonds have long had
ZONE doubts as to whether these cities. count;og.
and townB would continue to voluntarily Ia.
Themselves to pay the interest and principal Of
this enormous debt; and tho towna and
counties Interested haYe long sought
escape from the taxation to moot thor haatily-
contracted and most unromuneratve tlobts !;
go there Inns been grand movo along the whole
line to transfer TINT tax to the State genorally,
and compel tic other countioa who owe no sucll
debta to become the paymaBtcrs. Cook County
was especially relied upon US atrordIug good nil
lage. 30 the order waa made for q full asaese-
mont, md tho counties which owe this railroad
debt have, aa class, made fair return, but for
What an Ubiquitous purpose! a single county
will illustrate tho working OF tho job. Last
year, tho taxablea In sangamon County woro
assessed at s12 1000; in 1878, tho assosa,nent
III S92, 900, 600; in 1868, it WAS $7,00O,000. In
Cook County, the aasossmont last yoar WAS s04,-
100000; this year, s144, 900, 900. suppoaing tho
rate OF ta1 to DO per cont, the revenues from
tho two counties will be thus apportionod:
COOK County tax OF por cent. 5000
All of Which will be paid into tho State Troaa-
nry. But when the case OF 6angamon County
comes up, 1t wilt ho thus divided:
TA1 Of per cont on 81 col. 900 t1sos, 4 oooo
1odn % per cent on 81, 900 600 {increaao ever
,,,..,,,..., 100000
'a@''.''".'.'.,......... $50 900
IAe $7o.oo0 will 60 into the State Treasury
and tho $3.50, 900 will be paid Oyer to uqutdato
tho interest and principal Of The bonas voted by
That county and its citiea and towns In aid of
railroads. Tho deficiency thus created In tho
soyenuo by this diversion Of tho State taxea from
its Legitimate purpose mill have to be ,nado good
by IN incrcase Of tho ratio OF taxation On those
counties whfoh have had tho good ssnso to In
Volye themselves In no auoh overwhelming