The Goodland republic., 1906-06-01
KANSAS RAILWAY TAX.
Assessment OF 81 Million on 400 Mil
HON Prnnerfr NaIIIr

Assessment OF 81 Million on 400 Mil
Hon Property Value.
"A law enforcement policy on the
part Of our state officials is needed to
give relief to the small taxpayer in
Kansas" That is the contention of
Joseph Hoffman, city assessor Of Kan
sas City, Kan. Here are his cOgent
reasons for the above statement:
The railway property in Kansas re-
Gently assessed at 62 million dollars
BY the state board of railway assessors
IS worth more than 400 million. The
people are beginning to expect a
square deal from their officials and
this favOritism toward railroads is get
ting old in Kansas. Although the
boards returns indicate an increase
Of million dollars this year over the
1905 assessment, as a matter Of fact
II has not been raised one dollar. If
anything it is less.
The increased valuation will not
begin 70 cover the new improvements
made by the railroad corporations
during the past year. The actual rail-
road improvements in WyandOtte
county alone have been far in excess
OF the million dollar increase. The
Santa Fe has finished an elaborate
system Of terminals at Turner and a
new grain elevator, electric power
house and many other improvements
IN Argentine The Rock Island has
a new 100000 elevator here assessed
this year for the first time, and has
made extensions in its local yards.
Inc Union Pacific has rebuilt seven
teen miles OF road in the county
making it a double track. This has
been ballasted with rock and repre-
Sents nearly million dollars increase
in value.
When I went before the railroad
assessors this month 7. 7. Kelley,
state treasurer, one Of the members
OF the board, told me the railway pro-
peTty would not be listed at the full
value the law provides. The board
listed the new $4,000 Santa Fe cleo
tr1c power house at $4,000. Mr.. Rel-
ley volunteered the information that
the machinery in it could not be taxed.
why, l don't know unless it was be-
cause it belonged to the railroads.
IN this city the personal property
valuation is one million dollars high
er, or 25 per cent more, than last
year. The real estate valuation is four
million dollars more than last year
an increase Of nearly 40 per cent Ev-
eFyDO0y viii pay more taxes except the
railroads. The board did not raise the
valuation OF the railroad land in
WyandOtte county one dollar, although
real estate prices are soaring as never
before
The Topeka Capital, in referring to
the kick Of the Kanesas City asses
SOrs gives these eye-OpenerS:
In Iowa the railroad valuation in
i've years has been increased 80 1-3
the state reduced by eleven million
dollars In Kansas the land valuation
in six years has been raised twenty
million dollars, but the railroad val
uatiOn has remained at a standstill.
In fact, railroad property in Kansas
six years ago and now is assessed at
q lower valuation now than then. The
increase in the total valuation does
not cover the additional property ac-
quired in this period. Ten years ago
the Santa Fe preferred stood at 25
and is now above par common stock
was peddled around for voting pur-
poses at or s and is now 90. 1t is
the same with the other roads. They
are capitalized in Kansas on the av-
erage above, $4,000 a mile and as
sessed at $1,000. They persuade the
state board that their assessment is
high enough; and they persuade the
courts that their freight rates, earn
ing returns on a basis Of over $780,
900 q mile, are low enough.
There is a screw loose somewhere,
when the railroads are worth one fig-
ure for rate-charging purposes and a
fractions OF that figure for taxpay-
ing purposes, and when their valua-
ton remains stationary while the val
uatiOn OF other taxpaying property
steadily increases The trouble is in
the activity Of railroads in politics.