Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-19
the value OF its, bonded debt and OF the
shares Of its capital stock.
Nebraslxa's New Revenue Law.

the value OF its bonded debt and OF the
shares OF its capital stock.
NebraslSs's New Revenue Law.
Governor Mickey. who spoke of '"rhe
Revenue Law and Its Workings" said that
the new revenue law was born of necessity:
that while the law Of 1879 was Just and
comprehensive as originally passed. It had
been so amended and emasculated by sue
caeding legislatures that it was no longer
suitable for the requirements OF the state;
that II became the rule to measure the abil-
ity of the assessor by. the low returns he
made of the value OF property within his
district and boards Of equalization were
powerless to correct the lists in a manner
to, produce equitable assessment.
Relief from this condition had long been
sgitated, many OF his predecessors calling
attention TO the subject and that he In his
FIRST inaugural address laid stress upon the
point, particularly calling attention to the
large Increase in the state debt, far in ex-
cess OF the constitutional limit He said
that other Legislatures had attempted to
pass new revenue laws. but failed, and It
remained to the Legislature OF 1903 TO pa IS
the bill now known as the New Revenue
Law" and that since II had been In effect
over two assessments. It could be said that
the law possessed some merit.
Not q Party Measure.
The bill at its inception, said the gov
ernor, was in no sense n party measure,
and expressed sorrow that in its later
stages It developed into partisan question
in which the fusionists were arrayed
against and the republicans supporting It..
The feature of the law which occasioned
the most criticism was the provision re-
curing the listing of all property at full
the old law. the main difference being that
the new law provided a punishment for nom
compliance, while there was no penalty I'M
der the old statute. He said that under the
old system assessors met just before start
ing to make assessment and decided rate
OF assessment regardless of the terms of the
law. discounting the true value. and assess
ing property at from one-eighth to one
twelfth OF actual cash value. To argue
against this provision of the new law. said
the governor. was simply to argue for the
reinforcement Of law.
The governor said that no valid objection
could be taken to the assessment of prop
erty at full value, as it would be easier to
correct mistakes and produce equality. One
of the most admirable features in the new
law as seen by the governor is that which
permits the State Board of Equalization
to equalize assessments in counties, keeping
the state levy equal in all and changing
the assessment rolls on the different classes
OF property to conform with the facts.
This provision is an amendment made in
1905 to the original law The other points
in which the new law varies from the old.
the governor said, we're working satisfac-
torily, and that at this time he saw no
serious defects to be rectifed. 1t was found
that during the first year number Of mis-
takes were made, chiefly because the local
authorities failed to understand the terms
of the statute. and some criticism aimed at
the law because Of this fact had now dis
appeared.