Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-03-21
LOW TAX LEVY A REMEDY.
Every Taxpayer Should Endsavor to Have
The County Levy a Five Mil
Assessment.

Every Taxpayer Should Endsavor to Have
The County Levy Five Mil
Assessment.
To TIE EDITOR Josephine county's
finances are in bad shape aud yet il the
taxpayers would take some interest in
public affairs in few months we might
have the assurance in Josephine county
that the tax levy for 1902, which is
based on the assessment OF 1901, could
be lowered from its present amount OF
80 mills to not more than five mills.
In other words every dollars worth OF
property on the present tax rolls could
be raised six times over in value and
yet the owner would not pay one dollar
more taxes. But it is not necessary to
raise the valuations six times. There
is remedy which can be made to
work which will do no injustice to any.
one and yet bring the tax levy down to
five mills or thereabouts and then
capital would flow into this county and
the mine, the farm. the sawmill, the
railroad and the business in towns
would all prosper, l refer to the method
OF taxation.
A law was passed by the Oregon legis.
lature, at its last session, which allows
the state to collect its quota OF money
from each county in lump SUN, inde-
pendent OF local valuations. There is
now no excuse for under valuations, and
the law on assessments says all property
land | wish to call your attention to the
law as saying "all property") shall be
assessed at its true cash value, which is
held to mean what the property would
bring at a voluntary sale in the usual
course of business.
One great trouble about the assess
ment in Josephine county is tn at "all"
the property is not assessed. There are
FIVE classes Of property which should b.
prominent on the tax rolls OF this
county; the mining interests, timber in
terests, farming interests, railroad in
terests. Heretofore the three latter
interests have been assessed; but the
first two not so.
have broached the subject Of assess.
ment OF mining locations. to some Of
the mine owners and the first exclama-
ton they make is: "You can't assess a
mining location" say you can, and
that it is the duty Of the assessor to do
SO, and that the mining interests Of
Josephine county would be greatly bene-
fitted by doing so. To illustrates:
Eleven years ago Mr.. A. located twenty
acres OF placer land, and in order to
retain his title to that twenty acres he
signs certificate that he will each year
add 800 IN improvements to said land
The assessor is on oath required to
assess that claim at least 800 the second
year, 5000 the third year, $500 the fourth
year, and at this date that placer claim
must have received $1,000 worth of i'm
proyements, or else the title to the prop
erty is imperfect. If improvements to
the amount OF $4,000 had been added
in the ten years, or 100000 in the ten
years the assessor should SO assess the
property but now less than 800 each
year. What would be the result? The
property book OF the assessor (and one
property book should be devoted entire.
ly 10 mines) would show exactly the
assessed value of every mine. in the
county. II Mr.. A. actually did $l0t
worth OF assessment work each year, fol
ten years, he would be able and willing
to pay tax of 80 cents or 81 on each
hundred dollars and il he has not added
500 in improvements to his claim he
has no title and the public should bt
made aware OF the fact and then some
one else can take the location and dc
something with it. A man who holds q
mining location and does nothing with
it is OF no advantage TO either himself OF
the people Of Josephine county. Mer
who stand ready to take hold OF mininI
property and develop 1t snould be abl,
to learn exactly what is the true com
mercia value OF the property they ar,
buying and the tax rolls should be O
guide. II a mine pays taxes at fail
valuation and the tax levy is low, II il
an advantage TO mine owner to hav,
his mine taxed as it is free advertise
ment. Some OF the large holders o
mines say their mines are not for sale
but there is not a mine anywhere no
for sale il somebody will pay enough
The laws Of the United States did no
J intend that any man or men should in
vest thousands Of dollars 10 mining loca
tions and get all the advantages OF road
and bridges, schools, etc, and not pal
their proportional share Of tho expenses
The main thing about assessments /
that they shall be equal. II is alnos
J Impossible Tor an assessor to never mak'
an error, but II this county had propert
books, such as are used 10y assessors Il
the state Of Washington, he could la
before the taxpayer and the count
board OF equalization a comparativ
value Oh every lot and acre and min
, and stock Of goods, etc. and the tax
payer and the public could then know
| not only that "al" the property in tn
county was being taxed but also tha
those taxes we're equal" An unequa
) assessment is more aggravating to Ia
|. taxpayer than one too low, or even To-
high.
! have in mind an example: A Ian
Z owner told me he was assessed for $50
and he would not sell his land for les