Mexico Missouri message., 1907-03-14
Audrain County's Tax
able Wealth.

county
The taxable wealth of Audrain
county is vested in property pos
sessed by few more than six
thousand aud six hundred persons.
corporations aud firms. This gives
To each assessed tax payer, il av.
eraged approximately $1,000.
However. the actual burdens of
taxntiOn is not based in such a
manner aud the State, County,
Schools aud Road revenue is as.
sesspd and collected on basis OF
the property possessed by the as.
sessed taxpayer. However, it IL
with pride that an Audrain citi.
zen may point to the fact that this
cOuuIy's residents are financially
better off than those of any county
in Missouri, considering the aver.
age Ms Il comparison
| The greatest part of the wealth
of this county is vested in real es.
tate. Exclusive of the railway inter
ests, other than out lying land,
this one item totals taxable value
Of Sc, 344 go or an average OF
about $ll an acre for farm land
and about $500 for each town lot.
In the items OF personal prop
, erty, the amount of money, notes
and bonds excel all others in the
, aggregate, the total of this class
boing 1892, 725. For the first
time in years this item was assess
ed at a valuation of 20 per cent OF
the actual amount. 1t being my
idea that an equality existed that
could be remedied to some extent
in this manner. Aud in this con-
nection it should he said that all
other personal property is assessed
on a basis of about one third its
' actual value. In the item Of
money, notes aud bonds. Audrair
county stands among the foremost
in the State, so far as the aggre
gate returned for taxable purposes
is concerned. This, in my opin
! ion, is a high compliment to oul
monied interests, and it reflects L
some extent on the morality of thu
u citizens of counties far wealthie
than our own. In comparison
, with the returns of the assessment
}. of 1905 the mouied interests is Vi
the increase, considering tina
much capital has been recently in
vested in Texas aud Canadial
: lands by citizens of this county.
The taxable valuation of oihe
items of personal property is abou
in comparison to that of forme
years, while its relative actual val
} ne has increased, so is the assesse
value. But few citizens of tn
State have full comprehension q
II the laws governing the assessment
and collection of the revenue. I
a a great extent their ignorance
q. attributable to the complication
g Of the many statutes. Many at
Of Of the opinion that the taxes ar
10 collected the same year in wlicl
ID they are assessed. This idea pre-
walls to a great extent and eve
held by some who are quite cor
r versant in matters of commo
law. The assessment is made th
year previous to which the tax(
are collected or in other words
q the taxes that will be due in M
IN vember, 1907, were based on th
o. assessment returns of 1906.
There is but little property el
ne empt from taxation and it is th,
in property which is maintained Il
public, charitable or religious pu
K poses. All personal property 9th,
- than wearing apparel is taxah
and should be so returned. Anotl
nd err matter too that is TO some e.
M tent misunderstood. Personal pro
=, erty, matters not its location,
nd taxable for and in the school di
80 trict in which the owner reside