Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1899-04-22
THE ASSESSMENT QUESTION.

silver State will read the Assessors reports
in the last report Of the surveyor-Generai
Of Nevada he will get over his surprise.
According 10 this official document, Es-
meralda. Humboldt and White Pine
counties had the only stock cattle in the
State. The rest OF The counties had none.
II many Of these reports have been scat
tered through the East. the cause OF the
dense ignorance Of the people there can be
easily explained. What does the Silver
State think about it?-Independent.
II there is any State in the Union which
needs 81 overhauling Of its assessments 10
Is Nevada. The way the cattle are assessed
in this State il a fair sample Of how nearly
everything Ia Assessed. The writer recalls
An instance Of where 9 csttlemsn gave bis
assessment at three thousand dollars and
a few days later the papers announced
that he had disposed Of twenty-five thous-
and dollars worth Of cattle. He made 8
cash sale and put the money In the bank
and the Assessor and everybody else knew
10 but his assessment was not raised.
Clearly the Assessor and County Commits
sionsrs did not perform their sworn duty
or this matter would have been adjusted.
II this mans twenty-five thousand had
been taxed as money, the assessor would
have taxed 10 on the sixty per cent basis
and called it SIS, 900, but he did not even
do that-he simply did not tax il at all.
If all the cattle in Nevada were taxed up
10 their full cash value, as the law pro-
yides, Nevada would be extensively adver-
tised as one Of the leading cattle States in
the Union.
The Assessors reports for 1898, moor
porated in the report of the Surveyor
General. show that 26,62S head Of beef
cattle were taxed at S12 head.
Now, as q matter Of fact. the Appeal has
it from John Sparks, the leading cattle
authority Of Nevada, that SOC. 900 head OF
cattle were shipped out of Nevada last
year averaging $50 9 head, or nine million
dollars.
The actual cash value Of Nevsda's cattle
for 1898 was nine million dollars, but the
assessed value was not much over $500. 600.
In other words, over eight million dol
lars Of property in n branch OF his
States industry escaped taxation, and The
report goes abroad that this State is going
TO the dogs, and taxes are 30 high that no
one ANTS TO come here and invest. No
wonder taxes are high when over ninety
per cent Of 8 business as extensive as the
cattle business escapes taxation.
The cattlemen are not the only people
the Assessor favors, everything else 10
about on the same scale and for this rea-
son the State, which is improving steadily,
Is reported 10 be retrograding.
The Legislature ct the last session sp-
propriated 1900 for the expenses Of 9
State Board to rectify this matter, and il
the Board carries out its plan Is expressed
in . circular recently issued by IL, every
thing In the State this year should be
fully assessed and large reductions in the
rate Of taxation effected.-Carson Appeal.
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE CASE.
Circulars have been sent out from head
quarters to all the Assessors In the State
demanding that they assess all property
ct It's true cash value. Argument is made
in this circular that property has hereto
fore only been assessed at about half its
cash value, and that to raise the value to
the full rate aud cut the tax rate in two
would raise just the same amount Of rev.
enue and cost the taxpayers no more. This
would be true had the last Legislature
reduced the State rate Of taxes TO rs cents
instead Of raising il 10 81 100. This rate
cannot again be fixed until another meet
ing Of the Legislature. II is true that the
County Boards Of Equalization can reduce
the county rate. but this would make the
burden Of the taxpayers but q trife
lighter, while doubling values and paying
State rate of S1.00 would increase the
burden very much more than reducing the
county rate would tighten them. For In
stance: There Is . piece Of property that
has always been assessed at $1,000; the
rate for State ia 81 90 and for county 50. 90
on the 500; this would give to the State
$40 and to the county $40 for revenue.
Now, if you raise the valuation Of the
property to $4,000 and cut the county
rate to 81 on the 500, you raise for
revenue for the State $40 and county $40;
increasing the taxes on the property $40 on
the 81. 200, for you cannot change the
State rate after II Is fixed by the Legisla-
turs. This kind OF figuring in hard times
won't do. The people Of the State are tax
ridden now. and do not take very kindly
10 paying more taxes for the purpose Of
raising revenue 70 pay . lot Of useless
Office holders.-Lyon County Times.
Rossland, B. c., is the only place thus
T. - - - Al. lk Lz..