Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1903-03-05
LOWER RATES DEMANDED.

few days ago the Journal made
brief reference to the bill Of Senator
jackson by which Assessors are 20 lie
paid for their services & percentage
computed upon the aggregate sum of
the assessment rolls of their respec-
tive counties Since then the bill has
passed the Senate. What its fate will
be in the Assembly remains to be
SEEN How much consideration the
Senate gave to the bill before passing
it. we, of course, do not know, but it
is fair to presume that the members of
that body did their duty in the pre-
misses and acted upon the basis Of ma
ture and intelligent thought.
The purpose of the .JasksOn bill is to
stimulate Assessors in finding proper
ty for taxation and in assessing it at
a fair valuation after finding it. The
objection to it is that it may work
very unequally, stimulating some AS
SCISSORS much more than it will others.
However this objection may lose
much Of its force if the Boards of
Equalization faithfully and intelligent
ly perform the duty assigned to them.
The bill Though, does not seem to
cover the whole ground and fully meet
the general demand fer reduction OF
the tax rate 1t might. if enacted in
to law, ultimately have that effect. II
it operates as its author expects 1t to.
that result surely would follow. But
we do not know how il will work in
practice. and standing by itself on its
face it merely provides a different
method Of compromising Assessors.
The bills introduced ty Mr.. Graham
of this county, and Senator Miller. of
Lander, which we understand are iden-
tical in character, directly cover the
question of reducing the tax rate.
These bills divide the counties into
two classes-thoSe in which the rate
for county purposes IN 1902 did not
exceed one dollar and fifty cents on
each one hundred dollars of assessed
valuation and those in which the rate
did not exceed one dollar and fifty
cents On the first named class the
rate is to be reduced five cents on the
hundred dollars each year until 1t
reaches fifty cents on the hundred dol
lars which is thC-~--,Sr made the per
manent limit atom. In the sec
Ond class Of counties the rate IS to be
reduced a;rr8.I. "a cents on the nun
dred do, ar, ,i assessed valuation until
it reaches one dollar ana fifty cents
and there..-.er the reduction is TO be
five cents a year as in the first class
of counties until the same limit, nifty
cents on the hundred dollars, is reach
ed. ANY tax levy in excess OF these
limitations is made absolutely void, as
to the excess. and any commissioner
voting fer it is to be removed from hi.
office upon a suit to be instituted os
the Attorney General upon the lnstruc
ton of the State Board OF Revenue
which Board consists OF the Governor
the Controller and the Attorney-Gen
eral There are provisions INTENDED
to prevent contracts Tor the eXpendl
ture of money being made in the alb
sence of funds in the county treasur.
for the payment of demands thus ere
ated, and to meet emergencies In
county commissioners may authorlZ
temporary lonas with the approval Q
the State Board of Revenue
This is essentially the Newland
Man and it seems to have been care
fully thought out and effectually SAT-
guarded. It is certain to reduce tn
tax rate and equally certain. except
the cases of emergency provided TO
to produce a sufficient revenue, for
reach that end it is only necessary
raise property valuations.
There is no doubt that the true val,
of taxable property within the Sta
ia fully one hundred million dollar
and fifty cents upon each one hundr
dollars of that valuation should r
our county governments and run the
well. Besides, the State is upon t
upgrade and we may reasonably I
pect a healthy growth Of property V