Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-16
INCREASE OF TWO MILLION
Board Of Review Approves Flemiug's As
sessnsn Of Franchise Corporations.
WITH EXCEPTION OF TELEPHONE CONCERN
Valuations rs Approved show an In
crease in Total Amount Of over
F~2,OOO,OOO as Compared
with Last year.
ASSESSMENT OF FRANCHTsED COR
PORATIONS -oR 1909

New Omaha Thomson
on nobsten Electric CO. 59o93 StC99
Totals ............... $40. AIS, 500 $4,000
With but one exception, in the case OF
the Nebraska Telephone company, the
Board Of Review has approved the assess
nent OF the public service corporations as
returned by Tax Commissioner Fleming.
rhe board made a proportionately slight
reduction in the valuation Of the personal
property Of the telephone company as ad-
justed by the commissioner, although the
figures Of the board are still an increase
over the return made by the company
itself. The valuation as fixed by the board
on the personal and real property Of all Of
the franchise companies is given above.
The total assessment Of last year upon
the property Of these companies was
1s,225, 900 for personal property and $685.
900 for real estate.
The board yesterday afternoon adopted
the following resolutions:
Resolved. That the thanks Of the board
be extended to the members OF the com
mittee on taxation Of the Real Estate ex-
change for their assistance and cO-opera-
ton, at the same time expressing the hope
that the members of the committee will
continue in their efforts for tax reform be-
fore the Board of Equalization to the end
that what has been accomplished in that
direction, by this board may be held and
perfected.
Resolved, That the board commend the
conscientious and painstaking work of the
present tax commissioner and his assist
ants as evidenced by the record of his Of
fee that have furnished the grand work
for the boards labors.
Realty Men Are Satisfied.
"I think the Board of Review has done
better work than any body Of like kind
which has been appointed in many years"
said F. d. Wead, chairman Of the tax com
mittee Of the Real Estate exchange. It
certainly has shown good judgment in its
decisions and lack of fear In carrying out
what 1t believed to be right. with its
action the Real Estate exchange can have
no reasonable complaint, for 1t has lone
just what the exchange has been striving
for ever since 1T took up the question of
taxation"
In discussing the probable action Of tho
tax committee from now on, Mr.. wead
said: 1--WE will fight for the return made
by the Board Of Review as long as we have
life. We are satisfied with the railroad
assessment and believe that the board had
full power to pass upon II. II the rail-
roads attempt to secure a reduction before
the Board Of Equalization we will be on
hand with evidence to show that tho
figures are correct and we believe that we
can maintain our position"
Mr.. Wead then went on to show the prob
able effect of the increased assessment
upon the owners Of personal property
which has been raised in assessed valu-
alton. "If the railroad assessments stand, 8"
said he, ut will require only a 9-mill levy
to run the city during the coming year.
Take the case Of the M. e. smith com
pany. which probably had the largest
amount added to its assessed valuation.
Last year on a basis of 40 per cent the
assessed valuation was $50. 900 and the
amount Of tax paid under the levy OF last
year was 81, 400. This year the assessed
valuation is SS12, 900. and at the 9-mill
levy the total amount OF taxes will be
only 81, $685., an increase OF only s4OS. OF
course this is an increase, but 1t is not so
much as would naturally have been ex-
pscted with the large increase in the
assessed valuation.
The effect Of the increased assessment
on the small home owner is shown in a
case where a young woman owns her own
home, which last year was assessed at
$1,000, and the total tax was about $45.
This year the same property is assessed
at $4,000, and at the 9-mill levy the total
tax will be $31."
The tax committee held no meeting yes
terday, but a number of the members met
and congratulated each other on the result
OF the work Of the Board OF Review.
Burlington Lawyers Talk.
1T is outrageous and Illegal" was the
reply Of General Charles F. Henderson,
general solicitor for the b. & M. railroad,
when asked IL he had any statement to
make regarding the assessment Of his COM
pany's property in Omaha as hxed by the
Board Of Review. The board fixed an as
sessment Of S7,S6S, 14O on the combined
Burlington properties within the city OF
Omaha. They were assessed by the state
board at SIS. 1875. and this was raised by
Tax COMMISSIONS Fleming to S2.s92 500.
General Henderson and James e. Kelby
assistant general solicitor. also regard the
assessment OF the Union Pacific as fixed
BY the Board OF Review exorbitant and
unjust. No expression could be obtained