La Junta tribune., 1901-05-25
TAKE. usola ssw ssvtsus LAW

death and taxes, and Assessor
Adsmond and his deputies have
about arrived at the very sage con-
clusion that to most people one is
about as agreeable as the other.
Under the operations OF the new
revenue law every taxpayer is
supposed to return his schedule
this year on a basis OF full cash
value, but at a meeting OF the
assessors OF the state in Denver
recently it was decided that double
the valuation OF last year would be
about as near a cash value basis as
would be practicable. Doubling
the valuation Of last year, how
ever, is causing many taxpayer
to express his righteous indigna-
ton in terms more forcible than
elegant, and the pathway OF the
assessor and his deputies is not
strewn with roses, neither 10 life
one continual round of pleasure
with them just at present. Many
taxpayers seem to think that be
cause the valuation Of property is
double, the taxes likewise will be
Just double what they were last
year. This is not true, however.
So long as the valuation is uni
form, no injustice will be done. a
certain amount OF money will have
to be raised for state, county and
municipal purposes, and If the
valuation is high the tax rate will
necessarily be low. and vice versa.
With two sugar beet factories, and
the improvements that have been
been made all over Otero county
during the past year, the percent
age of increase in valuation will
be much greater than the percent
age OF increase in expenditures,
and in all probability individual
taxes will be much lower than
they were last year, at least they
ought to be. The assessed valua
ton in Otero county in 1900 was
S2,S2e,7iS, as compared to $2,-'
Gao, 729 for the year previous. an
increase OF SIes, $50. The tax now
being collected for the year 1900 is
5o,o43 81, as compared to SIr6,-
723.54 for the previous year. an
increase Of $33, 32o.44. In all
probability the assessed valuation
this year will be in the neighbor-
hood OF 81, 900. 900, and the tax to
be collected will be close to $2oo,
600. In order to realize this
amount on valuation of $1,000
900 the tax rate will be less than
80 mills. For the year 1900 the
tax rate on property in the town
Of La Jnnta for state. county and
municipal purposes. was si.6 mills
and for the year previous 75s
mills.
In some OF the school districts
in Otero county, the school direct
ors. in making their levy for school
purposes, failed to take note OF
the fact that the valuation would
be double il not more, than it has
been in previous years. The levy
for school purposes is limited to
Is mills, and the school directors
have been levying the limit for
several years past. With the
valuation doubled, aI5 mill levy
would be the same as 80 mill
levy, il conditions were the same as
they have been in previous years.
In the school districts where this
error has been made there will be
some very emphatic kicks regis
tered when the residents call upon
the county treasurer to pay their
taxes. That official will have an
to lead the strenuous
life for several months.
1t will very readily be seen then
that an increase in valuation does
not necessarily mean an increase
in the burden of taxation. As long
as the assessment is uniform, and
everybody is assessed on the same
h..;s the valuation does not cut