The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-10-30
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 30, 1907.
THE MONTANA TAX ROLL.

The taxable wealth of Montana has
increased in value to the amount OF
about seventeen million dollars dur.
ing the past year, according to returns
relieved by the state board of equal
ization. The exhibits from the several
counties show a total of about $751;.
1926, 700, compared with a valuation of
q little over 1924, 0OO, 900 in 1906.
The Montana tax roll of this year
places q valuation of about SIG, O00,.
600 on real estate and improvements:
about s9l, 600, 600 on personal proper.
ty: and about $44, 00O, 600 on railroad
property.
In the personaliproperty class. live
stock represents over one-third Of the
valuation, the cattle assessment show
ing a total of nearly sl2, 500, 600: sheep,
q little over s12, DOC, 600: and horses
1888, 900.
The ranch property and improve
ments owned by Montana citizens have
a total valuation of nearly $50, 900, 600,
their tax lists also including numerous
items of personal property that figure
in the assessment to q large amount.
Montana farmers and stockmen are
the owners; of taxable property that
has an approximate value OF about
800, 600, 900 in this years assessment.
While the tax roll of s251, 000, 900 for
the present year is the largest in the
history Of Montana, .it:falls consider
ably short of representing the actual
wealth of its citizens. The practical
exemption Of mining property from
taxation excludes from the list q class
of wealth that has q value Of hundreds
of millions of dollars, and the low
valuations placed upon real estate
and railroad property reduce the total
to an amount far below their actual
market value. The difficulty Of secur-
ing q full and complete assessment of
personal property also affects the
Montana tax roll to an extent that
cannot be estimated.
The tax laws that are in effect in
Montan a,and other states encourage
the cOncealment of personal property
and the differentiation OF real estate.
The ownership of the latter being a
matter of public record, it cannot
easily escape assessment, but it is
generally assessed at a valuation
considerably below its market price
the percentage Of differentiation
varying in different localities. The
assessment of personal property de-
ponds I'M a large measure upon the
ability of its owner to misrepresent the
extent of his possessions in this form
of wealth. Under these circumstances,
the owner of a small amount of prop
erty is assessed for practically every
thing subject. to taxation, while his
more wealthy neighbor-whose pos
sessions are more difficult to discover
gets of with an assessment that fails
to enumerate all the property that
should be listed
These defective methods OF assess
ment, which are due to inefficient laws
upon the subject, result in unequal
taxation. The small property owner,
and the citizen OF large wealth who
makes full returns of his possessions,
bear more than their proper share OF
the tax burden. The owner of prop
erty that is under-valued, or which
escapes assessment, lodges the public
obligations due from citizens who pos
sess taxable wealth.
This is a subject that deserves at
tention and proper action by Montana
law makers. 1t may be impossible t
devise a system Of taxation hat vii
insure a perfectly equitable appor
tionment of the tax burden, but Their
is certainly room for improvement il
the methods that apply to the assess
ment of taxable property In Montana