Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-09-30
AN IMPORTANT MEETING
Of Taxpayers at the Chamber OIL
Commerce Last hight.
,sspssrp VALUATION OF REAL
ESTATE.
That Was the Question at Is'ue.-Con'
domination OF the Action OF tho
Board Of Equalization.

chamber of Commerce building last
eyenipg was well attended. The OBJ
lao, for which II was called was to
,s,ye the report OF the committee
recently appointed to examine into the
,.s.li,y OF the ten per cent. raise OF the
..sessed valuation OF real estate In SAT-
Take County. The action OF the Ter
rl,orial board OF equalization was con-
demnoi rs unjust.
Jodge Howa,t reported verbally on
,,h.lf Of tho committee, to the effect
nat they had cons idered the question
AZ tho legality OF the raise and were OF
me opinion that there were many
,,recularitles In the assessments
If the board OF equalization,
and that IL was their opinion
ina, It was Illegal, and sd vised that
suit be brought to nulliiy the action Of
the board.
Assessor Lynch held that the board
had no right TO ret aside all tho real
era,e owned by the railroads and
make no advance In their assessments
whilst raising that OF the surrounding
propertJ owners by about 20 per cent.
MIR. whittemore was Of the opinion
the board were absolute judges Of the
value Of the railroad property, and
their decisions " Ouij have TO be atidgd
py unless fraud could be shown.
MIR. Lynch made comparisons to
show the unjust and arbitrary action
of the board Of equalization, which
was not taken on the merits OF the case,
but was done for the purpose OF work
ing further hardship ON the airendy
ovorburdened taxpayers OF salt Lake
county, He stated that "the result OF
the action Of the board 10 that property
ia the western portion Of the city
IN the vicinity Of the railroad de-
totn IL assessed lower than the
law requires, whilst all the pSpctty in
the central, eastern, northeiaIern anu
northeastern portions OF the city are
n,.essrd up TO the standard required by
the revenue act. Mr.. S0wles and Mt.
Thomas came 10 my office and spent
the better part OF two days In getting
valuations rs I would have made
them bad been doing the assessment
work ON Ill real estate owned In salt
Lake county by the railroad compa.
nies. gave them the valuations as !
had already figured them. The total
valuation by the board OF this property
was s372, C6l, whilst my valuation on
tbs came would have been sliO,325-
an excess VI sG7 1854, thus showing that
we are higher than the board on real
e,taie In the depots by about 20 per
cent"
The suhloined comparisons were read
by Mr.. Lynch OF his assessment In 1871
aud that levied by the board this year.
In every case IL will be seen the nsses-
sor'a valuation h away higher than
that Of the board, and here II the rub,
the railroad companies paid taxes on
assessors valuation last year without n
single kick.
In 1891 the assessors valuation OF
the real estate within the city limits
owned by the Rio Grande Western
railroad was sl0s,700 and they paid
taxes on that amount without "A
grumble. This year the board values
the same property at only Slss,8OO, n
difference Of $40, 400.
The Union Pacific, ton acres In
block 20, iive.acre plat A, assessed In
1891 and taxes paid on $1,000. The
board values 1t this year Mt Si,lS5.
The Utah n Nevada depat grounds,
assessed In 1891 and taxes paid on
$1,000. The board values 1t this year
at only $1,000.
Lots /, q, ! and s, block so, plat A,
Salt Lake City survey; valued In 1881
and taxes paid on S0O,OOO. The board
this year values II at Si7 1852.
m Of al hI al
Pacific depot 10 located; valued In 1891
aud taxes paid on $4,000. The board
this year says II Ia worth only S7i,700
Part OF lots |, and s, block li5, plaI
A, valuation In 1891 and taxes paid OF
sl,750. The board values II ut S265.
All Of block 1853, plat a; valued las
year at $1,000 anu taxes paid ON thai
sum, Ia now worth only s3l35 accord.
Ing TO the equalizers.
All Of lots |, ., q and 4, block 1854
plat a, valued In 1891 and taxes pait
on s3075. This year the board values
II at Sl76I.
Part of block IS, Kinney & Gour
lays addition, valued last year at $1,000
10 now worth only $3.50 according thu
board.
Part OF lots 7 and s, block SO, plat a
last YEARS. valuation SO, 900, on which
the taxes were paid. This year thu
eqnalizers place II at 81 1000.
Eighty acres In section ~, township
north, range ! enst, valued last yea
at $4,000 and taxes paid on that sum, i
now worth only $50 the board says, al
though land all around the eighty aore
Is selling at $50 an acre.
Three by twenty rods In lot 4, hlocl
", plat A, owned by the Salt Lake
Nevada and California Railway com
pany, has escaped assessment alto
gether, although the attention OF tn
board was drawn to II and the descriI
lion OF II furnished to them by MI
Lynch, Last year 1t was valued a
5000 and tnxts paid on that amount.
The Rio Gfande Western owns tel
blocks OF real estate In the city, onl!
one OF which II described by the squat
ihalH as being In Salt Lake Count!
all,
Mr.. Lynch said he made the iorego
ing comparisons simply to show the an
yusl nnd arbitrary action OF the Boar
OF Equalization, and that theit ordv
was not mate according TO tn
merits OF the case, but 10 impoa
iuf'her hatdship on the alroaiy 1vsl
1ntdened taxpayers OF Salt Lat
County.
Judge HOwat remarked Il was
serious question whether this 1900 tax
payera who received thor receipt
could he made to pay farther La hi
oplnion The parties holding receipt
S'ulu not BIO made 10 pay any more.
Mr. Lynch asked II tho Board ha