The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1903-10-24
Rate to Be Lowered Ten Cents per
Annum, Commencing Next
Year.
COUNTIES FAVOR THE NEW LAW.
II. Il. Bartine, Special Tax Examiner.
Confers with Eureka County
Officials.

/ passed at the last session OF q state
Legislature, was discussed at some
length. Pursuant TO advice received by
the Board, H. T. Bartine of Carson
City, who was recently appointed spe-
cial Tax Examiner by the State Board
| of Revenue, was present and addressed
the Commissioners in reference to the
for the ensuing year.
Mr.. Bartine, in his preamble, said he
came particularly to bring about an in
terchange of views, and his principal
business was to get in touch with the
various county officials to secure the
easy working of the new Tax Reduction
Law, approved in March 1903. 1t had
not been deemed feasible to put the
new law into effect this year, as tax
rates had been fixed prior to the approval
of the Tax Reduction law, though the
State Board of Revenue was anxious to
have the law effective throughout the
various counties in the State in 1904.
Continuing. Mr.. Bartine said, in part:
In the eastern portion of Nevada the
question had been agitated and there
was a strong sentiment favoring a
graduated tax reduction, a salient fea-
ture of the new law, which provides
that a uniform rate of 10c on each 500
be deducted each year until a total re-
duction of 81 ON the hundred had been
reached. Thereafter, it was outlined as
the general policy, to effect a further
reduction of &c ON the 800 until SOC
had been reached, designated a mini
mum tax limit, which would give am
pie time for counties to adjust them
selves to the new law. Very few rev.
enue laws stand for 30 years without
amendment. Some difficulty might be
experienced in bringing all counties
around to the new rate next year., but
| Washoe, Humboldt, Elko and one or
two others visited. 1t might, however,
be necessary to make amendments to
| the law to suit local conditions. Es-
ulOTdlud NOulu nave NJ oAulOuAey IL
reaching a satisfactory basis. If there is
increase in wealth of counties, the in-
crease in values would offset the de-
crease in rate if a decrease, counties
would have to raise valuations. To IL
lustrate, a county paying a rate of $3.50
ON 500 assessed valuation in 1908, next
| year under the new law the rate would
be only $2.40. The assessors would
therefore have to raise valuations to Sc
tcure the same amount Of revenue, the
only difference to the taxpayer being
that his property stood on the roll at
$1025 instead of $1,000.
To Eastern capital, the present rate
was appalling and had the effect of
driving away investments, where the
tax rate stood at three or four per cent.
Reductions would obyiate this.
Systems prevailed, causing a scramble
of taxpayers for reductions with the re-
suit that the aggregate OF assessable
property in Nevada was returned at a
trife over 500, 600, 900 where it should
be nearly 800, 900, 900, and it would be
better to have the higher assessment,
which would give every mans property
a better status. This was the idea Of
the Board of Revenue, and he. was pres
emit to invite the 20 cooperation of Eureka
County. Ii the raise was general, as
designed, no cause of complaint by tax
--- 1S1 Co wnnah had RI hn
raised, though the conditions did vary.
In Nye County a nebulous situation
existed, and though criminal prosecu-
tions had involved them in heavy ex-
penses, he was satisfied the law would
be complied with, both in Nye and
Lander County, though their floating
Indebtedness, payment Of which was
provided by law, would possibly be
contested in some cases. In Lander,
the consensus of opinion was that the
floating indebtedness would be taken
up by a new issue of bonds. In Eureka
it was a simple question of lower tax
rate and higher valuations, a view the
speaker was convinced that presented
no complexities not surmountable. The
State Assessment Law provides for fix
ing rates on certain property by the
State Board of Assessors. Individual
assessments under the law would be
left to local officials. Railroad lands,
telegraph and telephone property valu-
atoms would be raised by State Board
of Assessors or State enactment. Rail-
road land assessments should be raised,
and rate reduced l0c, making revenue
to the county about the same as at
present. Prior to creation of the State
| Board of Assessors, assessments on rail-
roads was fixed at gil, 400 per mile. The
first year thereafter the Board raised
the rate to $40. 900 per mile. Judge
Hawley decided the law was invalid,
and a compromise was effected Oh q