The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-20


Increase ......................... .$18.521. 6s
Add to this increase of county
local tax for judgments.......... $1,000. 90
Grand total increase............49 IS. 521. IS
The city taxes are lower than last year
by 10 per cent, as the Eagle explained
some days ago, but a number of inquiries
have been made why, when the cffy's
taxes are lower. the general taxes are so
much higher. The city and county taxes
have been explained two or three times,
and the Eagle has asked State Auditor
Cole for the rate of state tax for this
year and last, and for reason why the
state tax is so much higher. Mr. Coles
figures are used here.
The trouble arises largely from the ef-
fort of the legislature OF 1897 to make
political capital by cutting down the
appropriation for state institutions The
appropriations made by the Pop legisla-
ture Of '97 fails to support the deaf and
dumb school and school for the blind, the
insane asylum and the state schools by
SAP, 1872 %. nearly half a million. switch the
legislature had to make up. Then there
had to be levy for furnishing the state
house. 4 of one mill, 900 for binding
Irvine plant at the penitentiary. The levy
made by the legislature of 1899, for the
years lS99-1900, is a total levy Of 5la mills
on all the taxable property of the state
for state purposes being mills for gen
eraI revenue and interest. a of one mill
for completion Of state house and 4 of
one mill to pay the S15O,0OO to operate
the binding Irvine factory at the state
penitentiary. The total levy as made
by the legislature of 1897 for the years
1897 and 1898 was 4 ITO mills. This makes
the levy for 1899 and 1900, l 40 mills
more than that Of 1898. This would make
an additional state tax Of 20 cents to
each farmer whose farm was assessed
at $500, and an additional state tax Of
$40 to each taxpayer whose farm or city
property was assessed at 81, 900. From
this you can readily see what the addi-
tional state tax amounts to on each tax
payers property, provided you have his
assessed valuation.
The state tax in Sedgwick county for
1899 is $50. 1861 Sc; in 1898 it was $36 $780, an
increase this year of $13,521G6. This in
crease was caused by two things: First,
the increase in the valuation Of personal
property, less the 10 per cent decrease
made by the state board Of equalization
on all property in Sedgwick county, ex-
cept railroads, amounted to $137 100,
which added to the increase in the valua-
ton of railroad property made by the
state board Of railroad assessors, amount
ing TO SIS, 56S. 90, makes a total increase in
valuation over 1898 of $166, 622.O0. Second,
the legislature of 1899 made extraordinary
and unusual appropriations as follows:
For new buildings. etc, S520, 524.21; for de-
ficiency appropriation practically all of
which should have been made by the leg
islature of. 1897, S442, 13Z. 81. making a grand
total OF 1852. $500 Deduct from this
amount the total Of similar appropria-
lions. including 100000 for witness fees
and Investigations, made by the legisla-
ture Of 1897, 1912, 111.O0, which leaves a
net amount of $500, $500 to be provided
for out Of the levy made by the legisla-
ture of 1899. The legislature makes the
levy and not the state administration.
To meet these extra appropriations, the
legislature raised the levy from 10
mills in 1898 10 81 mills in 1889. an in
crease of 1 40 mills. The total valua-
ton of all property in the state is 1927
165 so 90 The increase levy Of / 40 mills
will raise S46S $780, which is S2O0000.00
less than the total Of these extra ap
preparation. The stamp. Not paid for
want of funds" first used by the Popu-
list administration eff 1891 will have to
be used to meet the difference between
the amounts appropriated and the amount
raised by the levy of the legislature Of
1929 In this connection study Of for
mer tax levies viii be instructive.
In 1862 the levy was mills; from 1862
to 1869 it was never less than mills: in
1869 il was 10 mills: from 1869 to 1876 the
lowest was mills; from 1876 to 1880 it
was So mills; from 1881 to 1888 it was
gradually cut down until it reached
$40 mills. From 1892 to 1898 the assess
ed valuation ofthe property of the STATE
wa; decreasing. ard the state institu-
tions were becoming larger, and the ex-
penss growing greater, yet the legisla-
ture attempted to make political capital
by reducing the levies which caused the
warrants to be stamped Not paid for
want of funds"
In the year 1898, when the levy was the
lowest in the history of the state. 3 $40
mills. the valuation of Sedgwick county
was Sl2. $40 So IS. which is S.l1O,51o1 70 more
than the valuation of 1899. The state tax
IN 1893 of Sedgwick county was A6.S95.Sl.
hut S3.5H.S5 less than 1892. Sedgwick
county pays > $40 per cent Of the total
state tax. which makes the county's
share of the extra appropriation equal to
SIS POO. 90. but by suhtracting the amount
appropriated 70 the county for the care
Of insane because there was no room in
tba ASYLUM. 5.450.Oo. and also S9l6 4
which is the state tax on the increase
in valuation of property over last year,
which benefits the county in taxes equally
with the state. the net increase this year
over last is S7155.24. which is SLl5ot0
less than Sedgwfck county's proportion
Of the extraordinary expenditures OF the
state this year.
Included in these expenditures Is a feNy
10 complete the state house, when was
not made by the legislature of 1875, also
the appropriation and levy to establish
The binding Irvine plant in the state PEN
;ton+iarN which will keep conyicts en-
Moved. be a source Of revenue to the
state. and reduce the price Of the twlne
TO the farmers OF the state
PRISONERS WERE ADMITTED
She. n simmons Succeeded in Get
ting Gang Into the Pen