The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1894-08-24
THE LINCOLN TAX NATTER
To be Settled by a Committee
Each County to Appoint
One Member

With the birth OF Lincoln county diff
Guilty arose, between the infant and old
Benton, regarding the amount of taxes that
We're supposed to rightfully belong to the
new county. The law creating the new
county was lame in many particulars be-
cause it was less explicit than it ought to
have been. 1t provided that the clerk OF
Benton county should make out a complete
list or roll of all the taxes assessed upon
persons and property within the boundaries
of Lincoln county, that remained unpaid
upon the day the act creating the new
county went into effect. In SO far as the
clerk was able this provision was carried
out; but he found it was impossible to fol-
low the letter and spirit of the law. In
making the assessment, property owned IN
the various precincts was entered on the
roll under the precinct in which the prop
erty owner lived. Through this method
much of the property lying on the hay was
assessed to residents of Corvallis together
with their land in this precinct. From the
gross valuation of this property was then
deducted their Indebtedness. 1t became
an easy matter for the clerk to copy the roll
for precincts lying within the boundaries OF
Lincoln county, but he was unable to segre
gate the property of that county when it
was assessed together with other land in
Benton county precincts; and even II he
could segregate the land, he could not de-
termine what proportion of such taxpayers
Indebtedness should be deducted from the
gross valuation Of property situated IN
Lincoln county. In this way Linc"lnites
have been deprived of the taxes on property
whose assessed valuation is estimated at
$2O0, ,OOO These taxes have been collected
by the sheriff of this county and the $1,000
due us on state taxes have been retained by
Lincoln county AS sort of retaliatory
measure. This difficulty has been very
aggravating to residents cf both counties.
Each has threatened the other with suit,
but out ide f tt spleen vented by the
newspapers, nothing was done toward a
settlement of the dispute until recently,
when a stipulation was signed by members
of the two county courts, referring the mat
ter to committee for arbitration. In this
way the differences will be satisfactorily
aiudicated without the necessity of expen
sive litigation.
The conditions of these stipulations are
in a condensed form as follows: In order
to segregate the assessments of the tax
rolls and determine what proportion thereof
is due each of the. two counties, a compe-
tent person will be appointed-one from
each county-whose duty it shall be to i'll.
vestigate carefully the various tax rolls and
segregate and apportion the taxes of each.
In cases where property in both countiss s
have been assessed in IA lump sum, the com
mittee are to have ccess to original assess
ment blanks for the purpose of determining
the value placed upon adjoining property.
Should the two arbitrators be unable, in
any case, to agree disinterested third
party may be called to assist them i'll reach |
ing decision, in which event the decision
of two will be considered final and binding
on both parties. When this work has been
completed the clerk of Benton county shall
make out and deliver to Lincoln county a
supplemental tax roll which shall contain
list of all property found lying within the
boundaries of Lincoln county. A warrant
will be drawn by Benton county to reinl-
burse Lincoln county for all taxes collected
by one sheriff upon property situated in the
county of Lincoln. From this warrant,
however, will be deducted the amount of
state taxes upon such property paid by
Benton county. Lincoln county is to pay
the ERIK Of Benton for making the supple.
mental roll. Each county is to pay for the
services of her representative upon the
board or committee of arbitration and in
case third person is called in, the cost of
his services is To be bore equally by the two
counties.
This is certainly the proper way OF
settling this vexe1 question and it seems
strange that such long period has elapsed
before the two county courts could agree
npon some definite plan of action that
would be fair to all concerned.